You'll Be in My Heart
by Sentimental-Idiot
Summary: After the events of Season 4, they went their separate ways: Brittany at MIT, Santana in NY, each with the hope of getting back together in the future. But what happens when Brittany gets engaged? Will Santana win her back or will she be forced to move on? Rated M for sweet, sweet lady kisses ;)
1. Prologue

After the events of Season 4, they went their separate ways: Brittany at MIT, Santana in NY, each with the hope of getting back together in the future. But what happens when Brittany gets engaged? Will Santana win her back or will she be forced to move on? Rated M for sweet, sweet lady kisses ;)

 **A/N: I do not own Glee nor Tarzan. The people who do are much cooler than me,**

 **This is my first Glee fanfiction. Canon up through Season 4.**

 **I know there are several similar fanfics with Brittana getting married to someone else, but I felt inclined to write this just because. I apologize for any mistakes.**

Prologue

Santana's POV

"And then there's Santana"

I look up and see Brittany coming towards me. Next thing I know, she's clinging to me like I'm the last person on Earth. But then again, that's just how Brittany hugs. She makes you feel like you are the only two people in the universe. Everyone in the room tearfully looks at us waiting for the blonde to continue but all they heard were sniffles. Heck even I'm waiting for Brittany to say something. Maybe something like, " _You're my best friend, the love of my life. I am going to miss you more than you will ever know. I love you._ " Ok fine, that may be wishful thinking but anything would work right now. Until I felt her squeeze me tighter. Then I knew.

"Oh man. You don't have to say anything, Brittany."

Even through the sobs and the months apart, I could still read my best friend. As much as I want to hear those words again, Brit has been through enough stress these past few weeks. She quickly pulls away before any more tears can escape. As soon as she leaves my arms, I miss the contact. I see Mercedes eyeing me carefully as they take the stage.

"Are you okay?" I feel arms wrapping around my shoulders. Our time on the Troubletones brought us together not to mention she was there to help me when Finn outed me. If it weren't for her, Brit and I would have fallen apart long ago. I offer a small smile. Thankfully she understands and thankfully didn't press for more answers. During the performance, I keep my eyes glued on Brittany. Despite Brit's lack of rehearsal for regionals, she moved flawlessly. In fact, she knew the steps better than majority of the Glee Club. When the songs slowed, I couldn't stop the tears coming. This would be the last time I would see Brittany on this stage. The place where she felt most at peace, her sanctuary. When no one could find Brittany during the day, I knew the blonde would be dancing in the auditorium, moving effortlessly to no music. She looked serene, truly beautiful. It is one of the many things I love about her.

"And in first place…. The New Directions!"

Applause rung out in the crowd as the home team celebrated yet another regional win. The club headed off to the choir room to prepare for Nationals, everyone except a particular blonde. I saw Brittany stand on the stage for a few moments longer, basking in the bright spotlight on her. Confetti and flares seemed to die down as she took a seat on the platforms on the stage. The very stage where she performed countless songs with her friends. The stage where she discovered her best friends, dreams, and love. I slowly walk up on stage, carefully observing my best friend. Her crystal blue eyes meet mine as I reach out a hand to her and she takes it for me to help her up.

We walk with our arms around each other, wanting to stay as close as possible.

On our way back to the choir room, Brittany suddenly stops in front of our old lockers.

"Santana, earlier in the choir room…" she said while trying to choke back a sob, "I- I just want t-to tell-l you…" I take her face in my free hand and whisper to her.

"Shh, it's okay, Brit-Brit. I know. You don't need to say anything." My voice comes out raspier than usual, but it seems to sooth her. I envelope her into a tight hug, staying like that for a few moments.

After the surprise wedding (I swear I'm going to have fun rubbing this is Berry's face), I walked towards the parking lot still dazed about the events of today.

"Santana, wait"

I turn towards the voice even though I know the source. Trouty is running towards me. What does he want?

"Um thanks for helping out," he mutters. Who does he think he is?

"Yea whatever, you know I only did this for Brit." I get ready to turn back when I feel a hand on my arm.

"Look, I know I'm not your favorite person since I dated Brittany, but without you here, Brit would have been lost. I know you still love her, Santana. And I'm pretty sure she still loves you."

I look up at him and I'm sure my mouth is hanging open a bit.

He continues, "I knew she loved you all this year. I couldn't get her to open up like you could and I would always see her looking at pictures of the two of you. What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry if you think that I stole her from you, but she was never mine. She's always been yours." With his spiel finished, Sam walked away. All I could do was stare at the space which he previously occupied. Brit still loves me? Of course she does! We are meant for each other. But hearing it from other people makes it seem even more real. I let out a small laugh as I make my way to my car, for real this time.

"What's so funny?"

I smile at the voice and look up into the most beautiful blue eyes as I shake my head slightly.

She walks closer, "Since you're heading back for New York tomorrow, do you wanna stay in the castle tonight?"

"Of course" I link my pinky with hers as we climb into my car and head for the park near her house.

I should explain. When Brit and I were 12, we wandered into the woods in her backyard. Brit wanted to explore the "Enchanted Forest" as she liked to call it and I was trying to make sure she wouldn't get hurt or lost. Plus it's fun going on adventures with her. Anyway, in the deeper parts of the woods, we found an abandoned treehouse…

 _Flashback_

" _Sanny, look! It's a deserted castle" I look up and see a dilapidated structure in a tree. We were in the woods somewhere between the park and Brit's backyard. I look back at my friend and see her trying to climb the stray rope attached to the "castle"._

" _Brit-Brit, that's not a castle! Some lazy bum probably forgot to take it down. Get back, you'll fall!" She reaches for a nearby branch and continues to climb._

" _I'll be fine. I have you here!" I blush slightly at her statement. I always have been her protector._

" _It's the castle of the forgotten princess. The forest fairies must have taken her to another castle to escape the ogres!" Oh how I loved her imagination._

" _Then how do we know the ogres aren't still here?" I offer with a smirk._

" _We'll just have to build a better castle with better defense to keep them away. Come on Sann-AH!" A branch snapped as I saw my best friend falling from the structures._

 _I quickly run over as Brittany is rapidly approaching the ground. Without a second thought, I dive to the area. And then I feel a large weight fall on top of me._

" _OOMF" I'm on my back on the dirty forest floor and Brit fell pretty hard on my chest. That's why my heart is beating so fast, right?_

" _Sanny are you okay? Are you hurt? That was a pretty bad way to try to catch a damsel in distress don't you think. You're my knight in ripped up jeans" She leans down and pecks my cheek. I continue to blush._

" _Anything for my princess."_

Yes, even then I knew there was something between Brit and I. We rebuilt the treehouse and made it our own. The guys at Home Depot helped secure it, but we made it our sanctuary. I park the car by the woods and we walk pinkies intertwined to our destination.

After a few short minutes, I recognize the carving on the large tree. _B & S 4ever _was neatly carved with a large heart _._ We started climbing the ladder to the main room of our fortress. We considered putting actual stairs in, but decided it was more secretive with a ladder. Brit climbs through the hatch first and pulls me up. Once I stand, I fully take in our paradise. In one corner of the room is a bookshelf stuffed with our favorite novels as well as some coloring books for Brit and copies of our yearbooks. On the other side, a cooler and basket of food and drinks lie. When we were younger we mostly kept soda and candy up here. Now we have some vodka and tequila stashed up here for our more "relaxing" times. My favorite portion of our castle is not in this room however. In the back left corner of the room, the wall panel is loose. I gently press it causing the hidden space to open revealing a spiral staircase. I glance back at Brittany and smile as I begin to ascend the stairs. Man I never realized how steep these steps were! When we reach the top, we link pinkies once again and step forward into the "royal bedchamber" as we called it. A queen sized mattress sits on the wood. The cone-shaped ceiling contains windows on some of the slants giving clear access to the night sky. On the west side of the room is a large window door with a small balcony. The east side has a ledge we use as a window seat. This way we can witness either the sunrise or the sunset whenever we spent the day here. Looking back at the bed, I notice cotton sheets thrown on in. It looks like someone has been sleeping up here recently.

"I couldn't go back. I would keep thinking and eventually fall asleep here." She seemed to be reading my mind. "Don't worry, our special sheets are clean and folded in the basket in the corner." She giggled. Yes, we kept satin sheets in here for special occasions (i.e. Valentine's Day, day before I left, etc.). I smile at her and gently guide her to the mattress.

"C'mon, let's lie here."

We are lying on the mattress stargazing as we cuddle closer to each other. I've missed this. I miss hearing her heartbeat as I rest my head on her chest. I miss her small giggles when we make up stories about the stars in the sky. But unfortunately, this all has to end.

"Brit, I leave for New York in the morning." I glance at her eyes, searching for an expression.

"What's going to happen to us?" She sounds so scared, so hurt. I sit up keeping my eyes locked with hers.

"What do you want to happen?" I made the decision last time. I don't want to make that same mistake again.

"I love you, Santana. But I hate not seeing you. I don't know if I'll be able to handle it again." Tears are starting to surface in those beautiful baby blue eyes. I quickly try to wipe them away before they have a chance to fall. Then I remember the object that's sitting in my coat pocket.

"I love you too, Brittany. I have an idea. It's not great, but it's better than the alternative." She looked at me with a questioning glance.

I reach into my pocket and pull out a box. Brit gasps.

"It's not what you think Brit." I laugh. Though I really wish it was. I open the box to show two simple silver rings. Each have a small studded heart on it and an engraved message inside.

"These are promise rings. Brittany Susan Pierce, I promise that I will always love you. That when we eventually find our way; after school and auditions and whatever else there is, I want to be with you. Proudly so." I carefully explain it, hoping she likes the idea.

"Santana Diabla Lopez, I promise that I will always wait for you. That no matter how hard it gets, I will always love you."

I'm shaking as I pick up one of the rings and take her hand carefully guiding it onto her ring finger. She smiles a million watt smile as she does the same for me.

I cup her face in my hands and slowly bring it closer to me until we are centimeters apart.

"San"

That's all it takes as I close the gap and softly kiss her. Oh god the last time we kissed was when I left for New York, but it was merely a peck. The last time we shared a kiss like this was before we broke up. I've regretted my actions ever since that day. I should have worked harder instead of being so quick to give up. Our soft kiss soon turned into something more. Our lips moved faster and harder. Neither of us could keep our hands to ourselves as my fingers buried themselves in golden locks and her delicate hands caressed my sides. I couldn't stop the moan escaping my lips as Brittany began sucking on my bottom lip. I soon rolled on top and began kissing her neck eliciting a gasp.

"Santana"

"Yes, Brittany?" I pulled back and stared into her eyes. Her blue orbs were darker than before. Full of desire.

"Since we won't be together for a while, I want to spend these moments with you. Truly with you." I wait for her to continue.

"Make love to me, Santana."

"As you wish" I whisper as I capture her lips once more. My hand gently caresses her cheek, feeling her soft skin beneath my fingertips. I feel a hand creeping to my back, trying to pull my jacket from my body. I shrug it off my shoulders and reach for Brittany's sweater. Our lips part just long enough for me to pull the clothing over her head. We slowly continue to remove each other's clothing. We are in no rush as we never want this night to end. Once we are completely exposed to each other, I shudder at the sudden cool air hitting my body. Or maybe it's because I have the most beautiful, sexy girl next to me. I feel her lips on my neck as she quickly finds my pulse point bringing a moan from my throat. I place my legs on either side so our centers come into contact causing groans to fill the room. I kiss down her neck, across her collarbone, and back up to meet her lips as we move our bodies in perfect syncrasy. The tension in our stomachs build as the movement becomes more desperate.

"Santana, please"

"Oh god, Brittany"

The feeling becomes too much as the room fills with gasps and moans as well as a few "I love you"s. I continue to kiss her neck. But when I pull her face to mine, I notice tear streaks on her cheeks. I gently kiss them away.

"San, I don't want this to end. I don't want you to leave. I don't want to leave." She manages to express her fears but her body is shaking and I know she needs this. She needs this moment the most.

"Shh, I'm here Brittany. I'll always be here. Don't you remember when we were here after I came out to my abuela? When I couldn't stop crying? You sang to me."

 _Come stop your crying, it'll be alright._

 _Come take my hand, hold it tight._

 _I will protect you from all around you._

 _I will be here don't you cry._ She started crying harder this time. No, no, no more crying. I lay next to her, pulling her head onto my chest slowly running my fingers through her hair.

 _For one so small, you seem so strong_

 _My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm_

 _This bond between us can't be broken_

 _I will be here don't you cry._ Her crying subsides as she joins in.

 _Cause you'll be in my heart_

 _Yes you'll be in my heart_

 _From this day on, now and forever more._

 _You'll be in my heart_

 _No matter what they say._

 _You'll be here in my heart_

 _Always_ I lean into her ear and clasp our ringed hands together

 _always_

With one last kiss, we drift off to sleep but not before I notices the gleam of the moonlight off our new promises.

I begin to stir from my slumber when I feel soft lips on my chest. I smile as the memories from last night flood back. I open my eyes and are met with a beautiful angel above me with golden locks flowing on down her shoulders. Sapphire eyes look back at me as her soft pink lips draw closer, "Good morning sleeping beauty"

I let out a soft moan as we lips dance over mine. As much as I want to stay here, I know I need to leave soon. Unfortunately, I have an early flight back to New York. After a few more moments to ourselves, we reluctantly get dressed and climb down from our sanctuary. I sigh as we walk back to the car and drive to the airport (Brit is taking my car back to my parent's house).

"I guess this is it, the end" Brit sadly states as we pull up to the curb. I look back at her and shake my head as I rest my forehead against hers.

"No Brit, this is only the beginning. I made a promise that I will always love you and that I will always come back to you. We just have to be patient."

We lock eyes and slowly lean in. The kiss started soft and sweet, but soon turned desperate like we never wanted to separate. Until we heard some asshole yelling for us to move the car. We reluctantly pull away, tears in both our eyes.

"I'll see you soon Brit-Brit. I love you."

"I love you too, Sanny."

One last peck and I'm backing away, keeping our fingers intertwined for as long as possible. As soon as I am out of reach, I give a small wave and turn towards the building, constantly looking back over my shoulder.

I'm sitting at the gate, twisting the ring on my finger. With this ring, I promised her that I'll be back. I gently remove the ring and look at the inscription I had engraved: _Proudly So_

I smiled to myself, dreaming about when that day would come.

 **A/N: So what do you guys think? I have a basic direction for how I want this story to play out but I am also looking for suggestions for a few things. Those times won't come for a bit. This was also my first attempt at writing a sex scene. So sorry if wording seemed awkward.**

 **If you want a better visual of the tree house, I will be posting the pictures on my tumblr (sentimental-idiot). Hopefully I'll get to that this weekend. I mostly checked out tumblr and pinterest for some inspiration. I just like the idea of having a window on the ceiling so you could sleep (or "sleep") under the stars.**

 **Anyway, reviews are helpful and much appreciated!**


	2. The Invitation

**A/N: First off, Thank you for all the reviews and follows! Special shout out to the two guest reviews who gave me great feedback as to what they want to see in this story. I am going to try to incorporate some of it in as I go along. I am going to be updating chapters as soon as I can so please try to be patient with me. Work can get stressful and I'll be heading back to school soon so there'll be some delays. As usual, I don't anything. Merely my imagination. And now I give you: the next chapter!**

The Invitation

*4 Years Later*

Santana's POV

Keep. Keep. Keep. Trash. Give to Berry. Keep.

I haphazardly throw the articles of clothing to their designated piles. It's about time I go through my closet. Like seriously, who knew I had so much crap! At least I'll be able to give Berry some descent looking clothes now. She's gotten better since high school, but she still decides to walk out of the apartment in those tights thinking it is a great idea… no, no it's not. I've continued living with HummelBerry ever since I got back here 4 years ago. Wow, I can't believe it's been 4 years since that night. I glance down at my hand and gaze at the ring a certain blonde placed on my finger all those years ago and remember those promises we made. Stop it! Get back to cleaning. I dig deeper in my closet until I find a box that seems like it hasn't been opened in ages. What the heck is this? I pull it out and see there is a lock on it… wait, what? What is this? I don't usually hide my porn or at least not like this. And I don't think I have any deep dark secr-WAIT! I turn to the combination. 3-8-11. _Click_. My hands shake as I slowly open the box and am greeted with a blast from the past. Dusty pictures and letters line the box and a single tear comes to my eyes. _Brittany_.

That's right. I kept all of our pictures together, all our notes we passed back and forth in class, hell even playlist she made me for our only Valentine's Day together. Too many emotions come running back and I need to close this thing fast! Until I see a familiar shirt tucked in the corner. Hesitantly, I pull it out and laugh as I see the faded black letters across the dusty white shirt. _Lebanese_. Oh Britt.

"How's it going, Babe?"

I drop the shirt and turn to see my girlfriend, Dani. Yes I have a girlfriend and no it isn't Brittany. But more on that later.

"Hey, yea it's going. Slowly but surely." She comes over and leans down for a quick peck. Once she pulls back I see a confused expression on her face. "What's that?"

I follow her gaze to the shirt in my lap. I give a sad smile. "Um it was part of a Glee assignment and uh Brittany helped me with it." God, I remember that day. I remember how scared I was when she gave me the shirt, how frustrated she was with me when I refused to wear it, how much I regretted not dancing with her. The metal on my finger seemed to weigh a ton all of a sudden. I glance back up at Dani and see her let out a long sigh. "Santana, we have to talk about this. Especially if we're going to be living together."

I'm about to respond when I hear a hushed argument coming from the kitchen.

"Kurt, we have to give this to her. She made her decision."

"I understand Rachel, but we can't just hand it to her like it's no big deal!"

I stand up and go towards the noise til I see the dwarf and Porcelain standing beside the table with what appears to be the mail sitting on the edge of the table.

"Everything ok in here?"

Their eyes go wide as they look back at each other. What is going on? Kurt lets out a long sigh and gives a shaky nod as Rachel holds out an envelope to me.

"What is this?"

"Just open it."

I take the mail from Man-Hands and glance down at it. My name is printed on it with fancy calligraphy. Who uses this font? I glance up to my flat mates and they're just standing there holding their breaths like they're waiting for something. Kurt has an apologetic expression in his eyes, but he remains silent. I open the envelope and feel cardstock. My eyebrows furrow as I pull out the fancy paper and read

 _You have been invited to celebrate the bonding of two souls_

 _Jasmine Alice Smith_

 _Brittany Susan Pierce_

I go numb as I reread those words hoping I'm reading them wrong. This can't be right. I trace my fingers over the cursive name still not believing what I'm seeing. I feel my throat closing and my heart racing. I'm about to drop the paper until I feel something taped to the back of the invitation. I slowly unfold it and immediately recognize the crayon penmanship. _Please Call Me_. I haven't talked to her in months. I knew she was dating someone, but she never told me how serious it was. I continued to stare at the contents in my hand. This has to be some sort of dream, no, nightmare.

"Santana..." Rachel starts.

"Babe, everything ok out here?" Dani walked out of my room. I break out of my daze looking around the room. Everyone is staring at me. I open my mouth to say something, anything. But nothing is coming out.

 _Ring Ring_

"I-I better take this" I grab my phone and head to the fire escape.

I take a deep breath and slide my finger across the screen. "Hey Q"

"Hey S, I haven't heard from you in a while. How's it going?" I roll my eyes. Really Quinn? You suck at lying.

"Cut the crap, Q. I just read it." I let out a long breath that I didn't even know I was holding. Usually I would pretend like nothing is wrong, but I can't even lie to Quinn. She's too important to me and has no problem with calling out my bullshit.

"Santana, I had no idea they were that serious I swear. They've only been dating for 6 months before Jasmine proposed." Quinn was closer to Brittany as far as distance. She would give me updates on her when she talked to her. I would hear about when Brit defended herself when some creep got a little too handsy during an end of term party. But 6 months that's it? I guess that makes sense since it was after I started dating Dani.

"Yea, I know. It's not your fault, Quinn." The fact that not even Quinn saw this coming means something has to be up. It can't be a shotgun wedding unless they found a way for girls to impregnate other girls. That would be highly unlikely because if it was the truth, Brit and I would have our own TV show with our 15 kids.

"How are you?" I can tell she's hesitant with her question. I don't blame her. I wouldn't know how I would react either.

I let out a nervous laugh "Well I've been better. I mean, I'm moving in with Dani next week so I'm packing and I found Brit's box just 5 minutes before I read the invite. And even better, she wants me to call her!" I groan. I don't know how I'll be able to listen to her voice and keep it together. I just can't.

"I got that note too, though I think she want to talk to you more so." Wait, what? Why did she need to talk to Q?

"What did she say?" I'm gripping the cold metal railing with my free hand trying to keep myself standing.

"She wants me to be a bridesmaid. I'm guessing she wants you to be maid of honor…" I freeze. Maid of honor? Me? So I would get to stand next to her at the altar as she marries another woman? Oh hell no!

"I don't know. I mean, what do I say if she does ask? Yea she's my best friend, but I don't think I could watch my ex marry someone like that, especially if it's Brittany."

"That's up to you San. If you say yes, I'll be by your side to help you along. If you say no, will you at least come to the ceremony? Or at least come back to Lima and see everyone?"

I sigh. "I'll see."

"Well aside from all that, how's it going with Dani? You said you are moving in with her. You've been together for what, a year?"

"8 months. We were friends for a few months from work. It's going good I guess. I like spending time with her, but..."

"But you don't love her." Damn you, Quinn.

"Am I a horrible person?" I groan. There is no point in even denying it.

"If you don't love her, why are you moving in with her?" I pause trying to find the right words.

"Well, Tweedledee and Tweedledum want to get rid of the apartment since money is becoming an issue. And they could only find two bedroom condos so Dani offered to take me in and I mean we are in a relationship so it would happen eventually. And I can grow to love her." I sound like I'm trying to convince myself.

"C'mon S. After 8 months, you should be feeling something more than "like" by now. We both know you're not." She always knew me better than I knew myself. Her and Brit both.  
I lean my head into my hands and sigh, "Quinn, she's getting married."

"They aren't married yet," she replies with a more optimistic tone. I sigh and try to find a way to escape this conversation. I can't deal with this right now.

"I should get back to Lady Hummel and Gay Berry before they think I've jumped or something. I'll talk to you later, Lucy."

"See ya Satan." I end the call and let out a long sigh. I wish I could stay out here for just a bit longer, but I know Kurt and Rachel are probably worried. As annoying as they are, I know they mean well. With one last breath, I go back inside.

"Babe, are you okay?" I really don't want to talk to her right now.

"Yea I just need to sort some things out. Can I talk to Rachel and Kurt alone?" She slowly shakes her head and sighs.

"Yea… I'm going to head back to my place. Call me when you get a chance."

We share a quick peck, but something seems off or maybe it always was. I feel bad as I watch her leave the apartment. She's been trying to get me to talk about my past with Brittany for a few weeks now, but I refuse to do it. I feel like if I tell her, then I would be letting go of Brittany and all our times together, something I'm just not ready to do.

"Santana, talk to us please," Rachel pleads once Dani is gone.

"I just got off the phone with Quinn. She's going to be a bridesmaid and she thinks Brit is going to ask me to be her maid of honor."

"San..." Rachel tries to cut me off again.

"No, let me finish. I'm going to call Brittany tonight. And I would appreciate it if you two didn't look at me like I'm a kicked puppy. And if anyone asks, cause I'm sure Trouty will call, tell them I'm fine. Nothing happened." Once I see them both nod, I turn around and head to my room. I glance at the boxes and shake my head. There's no way I can pack now. I might as well try to get this over with. I bring up my phone and call the familiar number… After 3 of the longest seconds of my life, I hear her.

"Santana?" I almost gasp as I feel a smile come to my face. Her voice alone manages to weaken my walls. This is going to be a long night.

"H-Hi Brittany." God, it's so hard to get those words out.

"Santana, you really called." She sounded surprised and relieved. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought I heard her almost choking up. No! She can't do that to me. Not after everything that happened.

"Of course I did. You asked me to." Wow, even when we aren't together, I'm whipped. Why did I call?

"I know, I just didn't expect to hear from you so soon." I knew I should have waited. I probably seem so goddamn desperate.

"So- uh what's up?" Seriously, you find out your best friend/ex-girlfriend is engaged and you say what's up? Pull it together, Lopez!

"Well I know you saw the invitation… I'm getting married." If it didn't hurt before, it sure as hell hurts now. I take a deep breath before I respond.

"Yea I saw… C-Congrats Brit-Brit. I'm happy for you." I can almost hear her smile on the other side over the sound of my heart slowly breaking.

"Thanks Sanny. It means a lot to me to hear you say that. So I know I'm a bit late in planning in asking this, but well, you are still my best friend in the world and you mean so much to me. Would you- would you be my maid of honor?" Annnd there it is. Her voice sounds so soft at the end, almost like she's not sure if she wants to as the question. The silence is back. The same silence when I read the invite and I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I can feel those piercing blue eyes on me even if I can't see them. I didn't even realize how long the silence lasted.

"San? Santana, are you still there?" She sounded worried.

"I-I'm still here" I hear my voice crack. Ok Lopez. Now let her down easy and just say you can't do it. Tell her it is bad luck for an ex to be part of the wedding party. It may be a lie, but I'm sure there's some truth to it. Ok, let's do this. "I would love to be your maid of honor, Brit-Brit." What?!

"Really?" NO! C'mon Lopez, take it back!

"Of course, you're my best friend." What the fuck is wrong with me?! Stop talking! Abort mission! ABORT MISSION!

"Oh my god San, thank you! Thank you! Quinn is also going to be a bridesmaid so it'll be an Unholy Trinity Reunion!" I drop my head to my hands. I am so hopeless. At least I'll have Q to keep me sane- oh wait she's going to be pestering me the whole time. Shit. Wonderful.

She continues, "Oh we'll get to do dress shopping and cake testing and flowers and-"

"Whoa there Brit, when is all happening?" I vaguely remember seeing a date, but with everything going on, I honestly couldn't tell you when it was.

"Well, we don't want a long engagement so the wedding is April 22, our anniversary. You know how bad I am with dates. So we should start ASAP!"

I look at my calendar. It's just November now. 5 months to plan a wedding? This won't be easy.

"That's only 5 months away. Are you sure you don't want more time?" Please give me more time to deal with this.

"We've already booked the venues and we really wanted that say. I don't want to wait!" She never was very patient, especially when… STOP! Get your mind out of the gutter! You can't be thinking about her like that anymore. And it's your own damn fault.

"Ok Brit, I'll be in Lima in a few weeks for Thanksgiving so we can start then." Remind me again why I'm doing this.

"I can't wait to see you San! And you'll get to meet Jasmine." Yippee.

"Yea, I can't wait." So there _may_ have been a _bit_ hostility to that statement… Oops.

"Santana, what's wrong? I can tell when something's up. Tell me. Please." Well you see, I'm still in love with you. Arg I can't tell her that! But maybe I can hint at it…

"Actually Brit," I start until I hear another voice on the other end.

"Hi baby!" I hear lips smacking and an all too familiar moan through the phone. Jasmine must be home.

"Come on, it's late and I haven't seen my fiancé in a while. Time for bed, baby." I hear the suggestive tone and my blood begins to boil.

Brit giggles, "I'll be there soon, I'm talking to Santana" I hear the smile she's wearing as she says my name. Man, I'm reading too far into this.

"Your ex- Santana?" I can't fight the smile that forms as I hear the jealous tone. Hell yeah bitch!

"She's my best friend and she's going to be my maid of honor," Brit exclaims.

"I don't like that idea Brittany." That makes two of us. At least she's not a complete idiot.

I hear Brit give a slight groan, "San, you there?"

"I'm here, though it sounds like you have quite the offer over there." Even though I don't think you should take it.

I can practically hear her roll her eyes, "San, what did you want to tell me?" She's genuinely asking. Why must she be so perfect!

I gulped. I can't say it now. "Just that I've missed you and I can't wait to see you. And I'm happy for you." I struggle to get it all out while holding back the most important part. _I love you._

"I've missed you too. I'll talk to you later so we can get started on the wedding. I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Yea, I'll see you then."

"Bye Santana."

"Bye, Brittany."

I glanced down at my screen where I see Brit's caller ID. It's us cuddled together in the castle right before I left for Louisville. Despite that we were going to be separated for a while, she still had her one-of-a-kind million watt smile, the smile that could light an entire city. How did all this happen? We were great 4 years ago when she headed off to MIT. Oh yeah, it was about a year ago when the former Glee members came to New York to celebrate Blaine's 21st Birthday. The last time I saw Brittany in person.

 _Flashback_

 _We were coming up to the last bar on our list and we may have already been a bit tipsy… ok a lot tipsy. I'm about to grab another drink when I hear the sweetest voice behind me. "Hey there gorgeous, can I buy you a drink." I look up and see Brittany swaying, trying to stand still, but having a little trouble from the alcohol. She takes me in her arms and I hum in response._

" _I think we've had enough to drink Brit-Brit." I've missed being in her arms like this._

" _Then how about we get out of here and find some other way to occupy our time. It looks like everyone else is about to leave as well."_

 _I turn and see Klaine dry humping in a corner, Samcedes deep in conversation, Puck trying to pick up some poor chick, and Quinn and Rachel getting a bit too close. Remind me to ask Fabgay about that later. I am about to turn back to Brit when I feel the most amazing mouth on my neck. Oh God._

" _Brit, not here. We should bring this somewhere private." I turn in her arms and see her usual bright blue eyes clouded with lust. I grab her hand and rush to the door quickly saying a goodbye to whoever was on our way out._

 _We catch a cab back to my apartment and we can barely keep our hand off each other. I go straight for her lips. I taste a mix of her cherry Chap Stick, tequila, and lime. It drives me crazy as I only want more. As the cab slows, Brit throws money to the driver, grabs my hand and drags me up the stairs tripping in the process. "Brit, slow down!" I giggle. She really is not patient when it comes to sweet lady kisses. As I catch up, she slams my back into the door, peppering kisses down my neck and getting dangerously close to my rambunctious twins. "Brit, I gotta open the door"_

" _Hurry up San. I need you."_

 _I manage to open the door as soon as those words leave her mouth. "Finally," she breaths out. I can't help but giggle as I wrap my arms around her neck as her hands make their way under my ass and I wrap my legs around her waist. Thank god for her strength. I grasp at her golden locks as her lips reattach to my neck, kissing and sucking and I'm positive there will be several marks when I wake up. "Oh jeez Brittany. Bedroom now." I gasp and feel her smile into my neck. After a few collisions with walls, doors, and tables, we finally make it to my bed. She drops me onto the mattress and pulls back. Where did she go? I look up and I see her leap midair onto the bed, or more importantly onto me._

" _Oomph Brit!" We laugh into each other as we exchange short kisses until it becomes too much and I'm clawing at her back. Her hand make their way to the bottom of my dress and push up til it's bunched by my boobs. The downside of being well endowed, it is a pain to get tight clothing over the twins. Yet Brit has no problem pulling it up over my head. I reach for her blouse and carefully undo each button until Brit stops my hands and yanks the material apart sending buttons flying. Damn I love it when she's like this. Her dominance is so sexy and so intoxicating. I wouldn't mind being a bottom forever as long as Brittany is the top. I grab hold of her shorts and thong and yank them down needing to see more of her body. Soon, we are both naked and writhing on the sheets. "Brittany" I whine. I am so sensitive from the teasing between us all night. I can tell she needs this just as much as I feel her smirk into my lips. Well fuck it. I thrust my fingers into her tight folds not bothering with any more teasing. The whole night has been foreplay. "SANTANA! Oh god, Yes!" I match her smirk into the hungry kiss but it doesn't last long as I feel long fingers teasing my clit. "Brit-please". Soon her fingers are buried in me as I add another finger and pick up the pace. Moans fill the room as our climaxes continue to build._

" _Oh right there."_

" _Faster, so close."_

" _Oh my god"_

" _SANATANA!" "BRITTANY"_

 _We still for a few seconds letting our orgasms crash over us. Brit buries her face in my neck as we catch our breaths. Wow. Drunk sex with us is always hot, but that was something else. I look over to my best friend and can't fight the smile growing on my face. I lift her chin so she's looking at me and give her a sweet loving kiss. We fall asleep wrapped in each other's arms not knowing what morning would bring._

 _We wake the next morning to yelling in the living room. Confused, Brit and I throw on sweatpants and t-shirts and listen at the door where we hear Kurt and Blaine arguing._

" _Blaine, why are you getting so upset? He's just a friend! You met him the other day!"_

" _You don't get it Kurt! He was trying to get with you all night. I had to mark my territory so he would know to stay away!" I cringe at the poor choice of words on Blaine's part._

" _Mark your territory? So is that you want to call it? And here I thought you actually wanted to be with me. But no I guess I'm some piece of property."_

" _Don't be like this. You know that I mean!"_

" _Do you even trust me? I know you aren't around 24/7, but don't you trust me?"_

 _There was a pause and Brit and I look at each other both knowing what's about to come. We all knew the dangers of distance in a relationship._

" _I'll take that as a no. Well it's nice to finally know where you stand. You should leave Blaine."_

" _Kurt-,"_

" _Leave"_

 _We hear a slam of the door and soft sobs on the other side. Poor Kurt. I was about to open the door to help him when Brittany grabs my shoulder._

" _Santana, we have to talk." Oh I hate those words. I nod to tell her to go on._

" _Santana, we've spent a lot of time apart, but I'm always thinking of you. I want to make us work. So what do you say, do you want to get back together?" She's gives a shy smile. I want to say yes and kiss her like there's no tomorrow, but …I think back to Kurt and what just went down. I glance down at our rings. She is almost finished school, but she still has her dream to chase. And I know we are both the jealous types. My smile drops and she notices. "Brittany, I want to, but it's not the right time. You still have to finish school and I know you've been looking into jobs up in Boston. We can't do it now."_

" _That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard, San. Even if I was looking for work in Boston, you could live with me or I could find work down here."_

" _Did you not pay attention to what happened out there? Distance tore them apart again. It'll do the same thing to us."_

" _The only reason we broke up last time is because you were too scared to make us work. I thought we moved past all that crap. We gave each other these rings because we promised to come back to each other."_

" _And I will always love you, Brittany. But I can't right now. I-I'm sorry" I know these excuses suck, but we can't get together now. I try to wrap my arms around her, but she pulls away shaking her head._

" _No Santana, you don't get to do that to me again." She grabs the remnants of her clothes from last night and heads towards the door. "You obviously didn't mean what you said, so I'll give you time to think it over. Call me when you finally get the balls to follow your heart, cause I'm sick of reliving junior year." And with that she was gone._

 _I walked to the living room where I found Kurt glancing up at me with his tear-filled eyes. I sat next to him as we held onto each other and silently sobbed._

 _A few weeks later, I met and befriended Dani. Months later, she asked me out. I tried calling Brittany, but it went straight to voicemail. I called her roommate who told me Brit was with some guys from her differential equations class and last she heard didn't want to talk to me. So I went on a date with Dani._

And the rest is history. How could I be so stupid?! We were both single and had mind blowing sex. I hadn't felt that happy in years. I can't believe I let her go again. She was right, it is a repeat of junior year. I was too fucking scared to follow my heart and be with her so I made up all those lame excuses. I thought I promised myself that I would stop acting like an ass, but apparently not. I throw my phone on my bed and stare at the ceiling. Brittany S Pierce is getting married in 5 months, I'm her maid of honor, I still love her, and I'm moving in with my girlfriend next week. I twist the ring on my finger. What am I doing?

Brittany's POV

I hang up giving a small smile to my phone as I see Santana's Caller ID stay on the screen for a moment. The day before she left for Louisville was hard, but simply by being with her, I managed to forget about the impeding distance. I was broken from my thoughts when I hear a voice.

"Honey, I'm not comfortable with your ex being your maid of honor." I look up to my fiancé, Jasmine. Her skin is tanner than mine, but lighter than Santana's. Her brown eyes remind me of chocolate, but not the same caramel chocolate that Santana's remind me of. Ok yes, she looks a lot like Santana. Except for her hair. She dies her hair bright red, like Ariel red. Maybe it was her appearance that first caught my attention, but she is also a sweet person. She attended MIT as well and majored in Mechanical Engineering. That's like math but more sciencey and stuff, I think. Ok, back to the conversation and that strange look she's giving me.

"She's my best friend, Jaz. Are you seriously jealous? I'm marrying you." I know I agreed to marry her, but why do the words seem… wrong?

"I'm fine with it, but I remember you telling me of how possessive she could be. What if she tries to win you back?" I cringe as I hear those words.

"1. I am not a prize to be won. 2. I am marrying you. And 3. She has a girlfriend." I feel my heart crack at that last statement. It's all my fault after all. But how can she be jealous? I told her everything about my past. Well almost everything. She doesn't know the story behind the ring I wear around my neck every day.

She sighs, "I know, I'm sorry. I just know how much she meant to you." Means. "Are you coming to bed?"

I swallow and nod, "Yea, I'll be up soon. But I'm really tired, so no funny business tonight." I can't have sex with her while thinking of Santana… again. It's not fair to any of us.

She gives a small smile and heads towards the bedroom. I let out the breath I've been holding and collapse on the couch. Everything is a mess. When I heard Santana was trying to call me a few months ago, I secretly hoped she finally figured it out. But I guess not. The day I heard about her and Dani from Quinn is the day I met Jasmine. I was at the bar right off campus and was drawn to her and the resemblance she had to the Latina. A few drinks and a cab ride later, I found myself in her bed. A one night stand turned into multiple nights until she asked me out a few months later. And here I am 7 months later living in her apartment and planning our wedding in another 5 months. If only I answered my phone that night. If only I hadn't walked out on her that morning, even if it was mainly her fault.

My hand instinctively finds the ring around my neck. My fingers trace the engraved message, the words that I said to her all those years ago when she told me she loved me. _Proudly So._ A few tears come to my eyes as I relive those moments. I may have a ring on my left hand, but it still doesn't feel right. Oh Santana, what am I doing?

 **A/N: I'm not sure if future chapters will be this long yet. Anyway, what do you think? Please don't hate me! I know the arguments between Brittana and Klaine were lame, but that was the point. It was so lame, it was stupid and unnecessary. You'll also find various Disney references sneak into the chapters if you haven't picked up on that already. Also the wedding planning is going to be very unconventional and potentially impossible as far as some aspects. That's why it's fiction.**

 **To the Guests who gave their input for what they would like to see: I'm sorry I wasn't able to incorporate it all, but I still value your thoughts. They still made me reconsider a few things in this chapter (a bit of the reason why it took so long to upload) so Thanks!**

 **And not just them, Thank You to everyone who reviewed, followed, favorited, or even read the story! I will try to upload the next chapter as soon as I can, but it will be at least a week due to my schedule.**

 **If you have any questions or comments, you can always send me a PM or message over Tumblr (sentimental-idiot). Reviews are much appreciated!**


	3. Landslide Brought Me Down

**A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. I had a lot of projects at work for my last few weeks and I'm now back at school. I don't have more tests for another 2 weeks so I'm really trying to update as much as I can. Anyway, thanks for the reviews from last chapter. I'm glad you guys are liking the story so far. Here is the next chapter:**

Landslide Brought Me Down

Santana's POV

The light comes shining in through the stain glass windows, painting the room with the refracted rainbow. How fitting, especially for today. I'm standing at the altar of the church in Lima, ready for the biggest day of my life. The organ begins to play the familiar tune as I take a deep breath and look up to see the most breathtaking sight glide down the aisle. Her long blonde hair is straightened with a few pieces tied back with a butterfly clamp. Her piercing crystal eyes shine through the thin material of the veil. I take in the rest of her body wearing a white princess gown that hugs her thin frame and flows graciously to the floor. The sweetheart neckline gives just enough cleavage for a sneak peek without having everyone ogle her. As she nears the altar, her smile becomes bigger, brighter even… but her eyes don't meet mine; she's not looking at me. My smile disappears as I follow her gaze and find another figure standing at the altar beside me. The brunette girl is also wearing a white dress which looks a lot like Jasmine's wedding dress from Aladdin. She just stands there smirking almost as if she was taunting someone. The blonde beauty finally reaches us and I hold my breath. She glances at me, pushing a bouquet of flowers in my hands while taking the other girl's hand in her own. I look down and see I am holding dead lilies.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

What's happening? I look around and see everyone watching the couple in front of me. I spot familiar faces. Quinn and Rachel are standing next to me and I notice we are all wearing baby blue dresses. The other former glee members fill the first few pews, a few with tissues in their hands. Dani is nowhere to be found, but I see an older woman standing at the back of the church. She's staring at me and I hear her mutter, "This is what you deserve". Abuela. Before I can respond or try to comprehend what is going on, I hear the pastor speak again.

"I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may kiss."

The couple leans in, both with wide smiles plastered on their faces. This can't be happening. Their lips finally touch and the church cheers. No, no, no, no. NO!

"NO!" I bolt straight up panting. I feel the sunlight hitting my face, but no longer through a stain glass window. Looking around I realize I am in my room in New York. No Lima, no church, no lilies, no dresses. No Brittany. It must have been a weird dream. Why would I dream of Brittany marrying someone other than me? We agreed we would get back together as soon as the time was right. The familiar metal encircling my finger is proof of that. So why did it feel so real? I take a deep breath and put my head in my hands. Something is definitely off.

"Santana?" Ru Paul and Tickle-Me-Doughface run into my room. "Santana, you ok?"

On any other occasion I would be pissed as hell that they just waltzed into my room without my permission but I know they are just worried, considering my reaction. Plus it's too early for Snix to come out just yet. I shake my head, "I'm just dandy. Just a weird ass dream is all."

They eyed me carefully before Rachel decided to break the silence. "O..k… Well, I know you don't want us asking since it is a rather private matter, but we are curious and worried about you and as our roommate and friend, we feel that we should be here for moral support-"

"Just spit it out, Berry!" That girl needs to learn how to take a fricken breath when she talks.

"How did the call go last night?" She and Kurt cautiously wait for my response. What she talking about?

"What call?"

"Th-the call with Brittany. About the uh… letter…," the dwarf manages to stutter out.

Then it clicks and the memories come flooding back. Our fight last year, hearing she was in a relationship, receiving the invite to her wedding, and the phone call from last night. I groan as I remember agreeing to be her maid of honor. That would explain the dream, or rather, nightmare. Shit, what am I doing?

"Oh, that call. I'm uh. She asked me to be her maid of honor… a-and I told her I would do it." I whisper that last bit and continue staring down at my hands in my lap.

I feel a dip in the mattress next to me and an arm wraps around my shoulder while another hand grabs my own. Despite the fact that these two can be the most obnoxious roommates in the world, they can be pretty reliable, especially with stuff like this. We have all had someone hurt or leave us in the past 4 years. Too many nights we were up holding each other as memories come flooding back of our loved ones. It especially hit hard when Finn died. We lost a brother, a lover, and a friend. Last year, Kurt and I found comfort in each other as we remembered Blaine and Brittany walking out of our lives that morning. Blaine was supposedly back in Lima teaching at Dalton for the year before finding a more permanent job. I lean into Rachel's embrace for a second before I realize what is happening. Oh hell no!

"Hey! What did I say about the hurt puppy face! This is not a pity party." I snapped pushing them away and standing up, crossing my arms over my chest.

Kurt stands up as well, "Santana, we are just worried about you is all. Are you sure you can handle being her maid of honor? Or are you doing it so you can destroy the wedding from the inside?"

"Don't. I am perfectly capable of being Brit's maid of honor. She is my best friend and I am the only one who knows her well enough to be qualified. And I am not going to destroy the wedding, unless it is necessary like if her fiancée is a bitch in which case I won't have a problem going all Lima Heights on her ass," I snarl in his face. Ok maybe that's mostly the truth. Maybe I can convince Brit not to get married or at least doubt it enough to postpone the ceremony. 'Destroy' sounds so harsh, don't you think? I prefer the term 'shedding light on the truth'.

Kurt rolls his eyes, "Santana, I know you. You are going to try to win Brittany back and-"

"She is not a prize to be won!" I cut him off. "And you are such a hypocrite. What would you do if it were Blaine, huh? What if you found out Blaine was getting married and wanted you to be his best man? You would say yes and then spend every moment showing him that he is about to make a mistake. You wouldn't give up."

That managed to shut up Lady Hummel for a few moments; long enough for me to catch my breath. I am about to leave the room when Kurt speaks.

"No, I wouldn't give up. But I'm also not moving in with a new boyfriend." I freeze. Dani would surely be caught in the crossfire and even if I don't necessarily love her, she doesn't deserve that… no one does. What am I going to tell her? I can't break up with her as I'm about to move in with her. And if Brit really does get married, I won't be able to handle being alone; I just can't.

"Santana", Kurt starts, "Believe me, we've always thought you and Brit were endgame. But maybe this is the universe saying that it's time to move on for good."

"Or maybe it's saying if I don't do something soon, it'll really be over. I have to go to her. Maybe I won't set my goal on stopping the wedding, but I need to see if she is really serious about this. If she is hurting or has any doubts and I did nothing to help, I don't think I'd be able to live with myself."

"But what about Dani?" Rachel asks.

"What about me?"

We turn to the doorway with wide eyes. Dani stands there with a curious look.

"Dani, w-when did you get here?" Oh no, how much did she hear?

"I just got here and I heard my name. What's going on?"

For the umpteenth time in the past 24 hours, all eyes were on me. Two pairs filled with concern, the other with curiosity.

"We were discussing plans about a wedding we are going to in a few months. Do you want to be my plus one? I don't want to assume since we are dating-"

"I'd love that, Santana. Who is getting married?"

"Brittany." As soon as I spoke, I saw the realization spread down Dani's face. Her smile disappeared and all of a sudden the tension in the room rose.

Dani turns to my flatmates, "Guys, can you give us a minute?"

Rachel and Kurt give a small nod and leave the room, slowly closing the door behind them.

"Santana, we have to talk." Here we go again…

"God, every time Brit is mentioned you say that," I retort, "She is my best friend. Yes, we dated in high school, but we broke up and she's still my best friend. You can ask anyone from McKinley. They'll tell you that Brit and I were attached at the hip. If you found one of us, the other was no more than a few feet away. I am also going to be her maid of honor."

"Maid of Honor? Are you crazy, Santana? I understand she's your best friend, but it always seems like there's more to it. When you were on the phone last night, Rachel and Kurt looked so worried about you. And I saw your reaction to the invitation and to the crayon note. There's more to it that you're not telling me. We have been dating for 8 months, San. And we are moving in together. It's getting harder to trust you when you won't tell me what's going on!"

"Yes, you can trust me. Come to Lima with me for Thanksgiving. I know you wanted to stay in the city, but come with us. You'll get to meet the rest of the glee club and Brittany and Jasmine. We were going to start some of the wedding preparations then. You can sit in with us if you really don't trust us. But no one is talking me out of being maid of honor. Brit is important to me.

And I hope you get to see that when you meet her." It is the only way to reason with her, to show her that there's nothing to worry about. I am still dating her, aren't I?

Dani lets out a low sigh, "Ok. I'll go with you. Even if I don't think it's a smart move. I'll start taking these to the cab." She motions to the boxes in the corner.

I nod and head towards the few empty boxes on the floor and finish packing my remaining possessions as I hear a voice behind me.

"We are just worried about you, Santana. But also know, that I'll support you in whatever happens in Lima," Kurt says in my doorway.

"I know. And thank you, Kurt. And who knows, Blaine will probably be at the wedding too. You guys kinda have a thing with weddings," I smile up at him. With that he smiles and walks back to the living room.

I glance at the clock. 10:15. I have plenty of time to pack and organize before I have to get ready for work. When I first moved to the city, I worked at the Spotlight Diner. It was alright. Pay was enough to live off of, some of the people weren't completely horrible, and for whatever reason we have impromptu musical performances. But a few months ago, a new restaurant called The Minstrel's Quarters. It's more of a family friendly bar rather than diner style and has a nice medieval theme to it. I started out bartending/serving, until the owner heard me singing while cleaning one night and asked me if I wanted to be part of the entertainment. There's a piano (I've played since I was 13) on the small stage, but he wanted me to learn guitar. Luckily, Dani was in the process of buying a new one, so she gave me her old one and taught me how to play. I'm not a pro, but I can keep up. The fun part about performing there though is the crowd. They don't come in for the food, but usually just to meet up with friends for a few drinks but no wanting the hectic atmosphere of the clubs. I prepare a small set of 2-3 songs and then take requests. Some of the families like me since I'll play some Disney songs for the kids once in a while. I guess I have Brittany to thank for making me watch all those movies. Despite what most people think, I do actually like kids… when they aren't annoying and disgusting. They have this wonder and innocence about them. They remind me of Brittany.

* * *

4:25 pm

My room is pretty empty. A few boxes remain, but mostly everything is at Dani's. I quickly get changed into my uniform for work which is dark jeans and a v neck shirt. My hair has grown a lot over the past few years so I no longer require ridiculous extensions, but I always add a colored streak in my hair. What can I say, I like to stand out. I chose red today to match my chosen red v neck. I touch up my makeup and head out to the living room, grabbing my guitar on the way out. Rachel and Kurt are on the couch watching Annie, while debating different versions.

"Fine, Rachel. I agree Carol Burnett is a much better Ms. Hannigan compared to Kathy Bates, but the 1999 version has just as many highly credible names: Alan Cumming, Kristen Chenoweth, Audra McDonald, heck even the original Annie herself Andrea McArdle!"

"Yes, but Kurt, that movie was meant for TV and while I applaud Disney for choosing amazing actors, it doesn't flow as well. The 1982 version has Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters for crying out loud. It has better reviews and is much more enjoyable to watch."

Something I learned a long time ago, never bring up movie musical adaptations around the Broadway twins. Rolling my eyes, I flop down on the armchair strumming my guitar. Maybe I'll use a song from Annie tonight. It'll go with the red. I hum to myself until I hear Rachel calling my name.

"Santana, which do you like better?"

"Yea the older one is good, it shows Hannigan actually has a soft spot for the brat, there's more emphasis on FDR, and it's a larger production. But I think Disney one has more of a stage feel. Staying within the same set for a musical number and whatnot. Plus it's during the Christmas season giving everyone that "feel good" spirit whereas the other one is set during the summer and doesn't have the same effect." Yea I should have mentioned that I can get pretty involved in these debates too… don't tell anyone.

Kurt jumps up on the couch, "HA! I win!" He throws his fist in the air triumphantly and continues to dance while Rachel crosses her arms and huffs. I roll my eyes and stand up.

"Alright then, while you two decide on which movie to sing along to next, I'll head off to work. Don't wait up."

"Bye Satan!" I hear them call out as I leave the apartment.

As soon as I walk out the building, the cool fall air rushes at me. At least Ohio prepared me for the cold, but it still catches me off guard when I first feel it. Luckily, the bar is only a few blocks so I'm walking through the back door of the bar in a short 10 minutes. The heat greets me like an old friend as I head to the back room to get everything ready. I pull my guitar from its case and tune it and maybe strum a bit before I have to hit the stage. The door behind me opens and my manager, Matt, walks in.

"Yo, Santana. 5 minutes. Don't be late this time."

I roll my eyes at him, "I wouldn't have been late if a certain someone knew how to properly mix a drink."

He laughs, "Jeez, I messed up once and I never hear the end of it. What would I do without you?"

I smirk, "You'd find one of the other thousands of people in this city that're trying to make a name for themselves."

He shakes his head, "But that's all they'd care about. Santana, you actually care about the music and the people; not whether or not there's a producer in the room."

It used to be my goal to impress some music producer, but everyone in this goddamn city is doing just that. Just singing makes me happy. I'll do that before I try to waste my time with another hopeless dream.

Matt speaks up again, "3 minutes, kid." He closes the door on his way out. Matt has been awesome since I met him. He bought this place so families could experience a "night life" while still having innocence to it. He's a very casual guy, but knows how to lay down the rules. He's thrown out a few sleazy guys who have shown up after following me here. He's kinda like a more gentleman version of Puck. Definitely a bro for life.

I glance at the clock and decide I should probably get out there. On my way out, I'm greeted by our entertainment manager, Adam, announcing my presence to the small crowd in the restaurant.

Only about a quarter of the place is occupied. I prefer slower nights. It gives more of an intimacy with the few people who are there.

"Our main performer of the night, Miss Santana Lopez!

A few polite claps are heard; some small whoops from regulars as well. I have 8 hour shift; half the time serving and the other half entertaining. It's not that bad. Sometimes rather than singing, I'll host a karaoke contest and merely accompany the strangers. I smile as I take my seat on the piano bench and straighten out the microphone in front of me.

"Hey guys," I start, "I'll keep it chill for a bit, and I'll take requests so I dare you to come up with a good song. Anyway, first song of the night is a classic and the only reason it's in my head right now is thanks to my flatmates. It goes with my color scheme tonight anyway. So as we all know, life sucks at times. We lose our jobs, our homes, our loved ones; and yet somehow there's a way to stay positive. As cheesy as it sounds, we just have to hope for a better tomorrow."

 _The sun'll come out tomorrow, Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun_

 _Just thinking about tomorrow clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow til there's none_

 _When I'm stuck with a day that's gray and lonely_

 _I just stick up my chin and grin and saaayyyyy oooohhhh_

 _The sun'll come out tomorrow, so you gotta hang on till tomorrow come what mayyyy_

 _Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow_

 _You're always a day away_

I glance up while playing when I hear the door open and a family walk in consisting of tired parents, a young boy about 13 years old, two teenage girls that had to be about 16, and a little girl who couldn't be older than 6. The little girl's face lights up when she recognizes the song and runs up to the stage as the two older girls try to catch her.

 _You're always a day awayyyy._

At the last note, a few claps echo in the quaint restaurant followed by an over enthusiastic squeal.

"Again, again!" the little girl chants.

I smile and turn to her, "What's your name, princess?"

"Britney. Your voice is really pretty." At the sound of her name I'm momentarily distracted. She gives a toothy grin. Her curly blonde hair rests on her shoulders blending in with the orange dress she is wearing. I swear she could pass as Brit's cousin or something, especially with her bubbly personality.

"Thank you. I love your name. It's also my best friend's name. I'm Santana. Which song do you want to hear next?" I can't help but remember Brit's and I's adventures when we were kids. We always got into so much trouble whether it was running through Mr. Abbott's garden or scaring the little old lady across the street. She is about to respond when the older girls run up. At first I thought they were sisters, but at a closer look I'm certain they aren't related. The taller of the two girls wears tight jeans with a red leather jacket contrasting her pale skin and dark, straight hair. The other girl wears leggings and a long purple sweater. Her skin is slightly tanner, but her hair is dirty blonde with curled layers.

The shorter girl speaks up, "Britney, you can't be running up like that. Miss, I'm sorry for her bothering you. You are really good by the way." She grabs the young girl's hand and tries to pull her away, but little Brittany doesn't move without a fight.

"It's really no problem. I always wanted a fan, especially one as enthusiastic as Britney here. She is welcome to come up here whenever I'm here. Same goes for you two." I eye the two girls carefully.

The taller girl speaks up, "Really? But, won't you get in trouble?"

I shake my head, "Nope; I'm close with my boss. Plus, sometimes my friends come up here and sing with me. If they don't have anything better to do, they usually end up here. Do you girls sing?"

They share a small look and their smiles grow wider than before. There's that sparkle in their eyes as they keep the contact. "Well, we are part of our school's glee club back in Ohio," the blonde states.

"Whereabouts in Ohio? I was born and raised there. I was also in my high school's glee club. Though I would never admit it at the time, but they were the best moments of my life." Normally, I would keep up my HBIC persona to strangers, but seeing as there are small ears around, I figure it's easier to be nice.

The brunette continues, "We go to William McKinley High School. Our glee club, the New Directions, haven't been to Nationals in 4 years. They won the year before that. You must have won a lot with your voice." I laugh at the coincidence. It must really be a small world.

What are the fricken odds…"Is Sue still trying to "destroy" the glee club and Mr. Schue?" I ask with a smirk.

Both the girls' eyes widen. Little Britney makes her presence known, "The Sue lady is a meanie. Do you know her?"

I smile proudly, "I was on the New Directions for 3 years. We won Nationals my senior year. Plus I was on the Cheerios all 4 years, so I've felt the wrath of Sue too many times to count. It's been a few years since I've been in Lima."

"I knew you looked familiar!" The shorter girl said, "You're Santana Lopez! Mr. Schue has us watch all the previous performances. You guys are amazing! Oh, sorry. I'm Emily and this is my best friend Katelyn." The taller girl gives a wide grin and a small wave at the mention of her name.

"Nice to meet you girls. And thank you. I've never really had a fan before. This is definitely a nice change of pace from Berry hogging the spotlight."

"Oh my god, Rachel Berry, the Broadway star! Are you still super close with them?" Katelyn asked.

I smile to myself. "I actually live with Rachel and Kurt, but I'm in the process of moving in with my girlfriend."

Emily is just about to reply when, "Emily, grab your sister. You guys need to eat."

Groaning, Emily spoke, "Coming, Mom. It was great talking to you Santana!"

"You too. And if you guys want a specific song, let me know."

"Actually," Katelyn turned to me, "Could you play Landslide? I remember Mr. Schue saying that it was a tremendous performance with emotion and meaning. I've been lacking in the emotion during performances, and it would help so much to see it in action. Plus Mr. Schue said it was a pretty big deal for you."

I sigh. That song was more than a big deal. It was life changing. If we never performed it, I'd probably still be in the closet. "Yea. Yea, no problem. I'll play it in a bit."

"Thank you so much! You're the best!" They run off to their family with Britney in hand. As soon as they turn around, the girls link their hands and I can't help but smile. They are so much like Brit and me, except neither of them is a bitch like me.

I walk to the bathroom needing to clear my head before I perform. I splash some water in my face and look at my reflection in the mirror. Landslide constantly plays in my head. That whole ordeal plays in my head. Can I get through this?

*Knock*Knock* "Santana, get back on that stage!" I hear Matt yell.

"I'll be out in a sec," I yell towards the door. I take one last look at my reflection and down at my hand. The ring feels a lot heavier now. Well, I guess it's now or never.

I go up to the stage, take a seat on the stool, and adjust the microphone. I grab my guitar and strum a few notes.

"So uh, this next song is one that's extremely important to me. About 6 years ago, I sang this song with someone who is very special to me. It made me realize a lot of things. A lot of things about her, about me, about life. I was so afraid of change and I guess I still am sometimes. Seasons change, people drift away. Some things just don't last forever. Anyway, I hope you guys like it."

I start the chords, close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

 _I took my love and I took it down_

 _I climbed a mountain and I turned around_

 _And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills_

 _Where the landslide brought me down_

 _Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?_

 _Can the child within my heart rise above?_

 _Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?_

 _Can I handle the seasons of my life?_

 _Oh-oh_

 _Oh-oh_

 _Well, I've been afraid of changin'_

 _Cause I've built my life around you_

 _But time makes you bolder_

 _Children get older_

 _And I'm getting older too_

 _Well_

I feel a wetness come to my eyes as I continue playing. So many memories come flooding back like a landslide. _I want to be with you._ I put my heart out on the line. _I have to accept that_ _I love you._ I risked everything that day and for a few moments, I thought she would be mine. _I'd totally be with you if it weren't for Artie._ It's the story of our relationship. As soon as there's hope, it's crushed. Que in months of angst and jealousy and we eventually got together properly. But if I never told her how I felt, what would have happened? Artie wouldn't have gotten suspicious; they'd probably date through senior year. He'd probably helped her with her work so she would have graduated with us. Would there have been any hope for us? Or would she have been better off without me?

 _Well, I've been afraid of changin'_

 _Cause I've built my life around you_

 _But time makes you bolder_

 _Children get older_

 _And I'm getting older too_

 _Well, I'm getting older too_

 _So-oh, take this love and take it down_

 _Yeah, and if you climb a mountain and you turn around_

 _And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills_

 _Where the landslide brought me down_

 _And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills_

 _Well maybe_

 _Well maybe_

 _Well maybe_

 _The landslide will bring you down_

Applause fills the room followed by some whistles and cheers. I open my eyes and see Katelyn and Emily holding hands as they smile up at me. Katelyn mouths a small thank you and I nod my head in return.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. Emily and Katelyn leave with their family when little Britney gets cranky.

* * *

Midnight.

"Nice work tonight, Santana. Now make sure you close up at a reasonable hour. I don't want to find out you were here till morning light again." Matt tosses me the keys as I roll my eyes.

"One time that happened. I was caught up in the music. You know how it is."

"Whatever. See you later, Satan," he says as he walks out into the night.

I go back to wiping down the tables, thinking about Emily and Katelyn. Their whole dynamic just reminds me of Brittany and myself in high school. Maybe we'll get to talk to them when we go back to Lima. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually miss everyone. I miss Mr. Schue's cheesy motivational speeches. I miss Sue berating us after we've been tortured at practice. I slowly walk towards the stage and sit on the piano bench, gliding my fingers across the ebony and ivory as I continue to reminisce. A particular memory comes to mind…

 _Flashback:_

 _Mr. Schue begins writing on his stupid dry erase board so we can begin yet another boring lesson. I mean I won't lie, it's kind of fun spying for Coach, but these lessons could easily put me to sleep._

" _Ballad. From Middle English ballade. Who knows what this word means?"_

" _It's a male duck," Brittany states confidently from my right._

" _Kurt." Mr. Schue ignores Brit once again. I know what she says is gibberish half the time, but he can't keep telling everyone their special and then ignore the most special and genius one of us all._

 _Lady Hummel and Schue continue the lesson, something about a ballad being a love song or a story set to music. I glance at Brit and she doesn't seem to be fazed about what they are talking about. Her mind is probably still on the duck._

" _Okay," Mr. Schue continues, "So here's our assignment for the week: I'm going to pair you off, and I want you to pick a ballad to sing to your partner. Look them right in the eye, find the emotion you want to express, and make them feel it."_

 _Dibs on Brittany. There's no one else I can tolerate in this club accept maybe Puck or Prego. Puck would be too worried about his offspring and there is no way I am going anywhere near that ball of hormones._

" _You're partners will be chosen by fate. I put all your names in this hat. Whoever you choose is your partner." No me gusta._

 _Brittany leans towards me, "I bet the duck's in the hat." For everyone's safety, I better be paired with Brit. If anyone says anything hurtful to her, they will feel the wrath of Snix._

 _One by one, everyone walks up and picks from the hate. Puck with Wheezy, Wheels with Tubbers, Finnocence with Lady Hummel, and Girl Chang with Boy Chang. Next thing I know it's my turn. Ok, I can either get Mr. Schue, Dwarf, or Brit. Hopefully the fates will like me today._

 _I pull out the slip of paper and, "Brittany" I exclaim happily. I hear Brit stand and clap enthusiastically. I make my way back to my seat with the biggest smile on my face ignoring the comments like "How fitting". What is that supposed to mean? I high five Brit when I get to my seat._

 _When Mr. Schue and the dwarf begin demonstrating a ballad with some cheesy love song, I can't help but think about the ballad Brit and I will sing. I look over to her and see her waving her cell phone to the beat of the song and I can't help but laugh. She is my best friend, and I want to show her how much. I start thinking of a song and for some reason Fleetwood Mac's Landslide pops into my head. But wait, no. I can't sing that to her. I wonder what song she'll sing to me. I guess I'll have to wait and see._

We never finished that assignment. We sang to Finn and Quinn later in the week, but whenever Brit and I met up to work on the ballad we cuddled and watched Sweet Valley High instead. I can't stop the smile spreading on my face.

"I can count on one hand the times I've seen you smile like that." I look up at the voice and see familiar green eyes.

"Quinn? What're you doing here?" I ask.

She shrugs, "Wanted to get a drink, but it looks like I'm a little late." She walks towards the stage, but I remain still.

"I mean, what are you doing in New York? Shouldn't you be in New Haven?" Why is she here? Did something happen to Brit?

"I have business in the city tonight and tomorrow." Ah yes, 'business'. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

"Uh-huh. And does this business have anything to do with a certain Jewish dwarf?" I ask smirking.

She rolls her eyes, "Santana, I thought you would have warmed up to her by now."

"I have, and it looks like you have too. A lot more than me it seems." Quinn just blushes.

I continue, "So you and Berry, huh? This has been going on for a year at least. How much longer until you would have said something?"

"We are just friends. We've talked about it, but both decided it's best to not start anything right now." She looks nervous. I wonder why.

"Why not? Whatever happened to living in the moment?" I ask. She hesitates and bites her bottom lip nervously. "Q?"

"We've all seen what happens with long distance relationships, Santana," she whispers. I almost didn't catch it. I feel my grin slipping away and nod slowly.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Quinn." I really am. Distance is a bitch.

"That's actually why I'm in town. I'm looking to transfer to the city. I have an interview tomorrow afternoon. I just talked to Rachel and she said you would be here. I wanted to physically see how you were after last night."

I groan, "Can everyone stop treating me like a lost child? I am perfectly capable of being Brit's maid of honor. I am in a relationship and moving in with her within the next week. Now can everyone stop asking me how I am doing!?"

She scoffs, "I heard Dani didn't take the news about your role in the wedding too well. How much does she know about you and Brittany?"

"Just that she was my first girlfriend and we used to date in high school until long distance became an issue." I stare down at my hands.

"San,-"

"No," I cut her off, "Brittany is an important part of me and I don't want to share that with anyone who doesn't know us and our history. She's so special and everyone judges her just because they don't understand how she thinks. She's a genius."

"Santana, you have 2 options with Dani right now. 1: Tell her the truth about how you don't love her despite dating for the past 8 months so you can break up and go your separate ways. Or 2: Continue to go through with a loveless relationship. That one shouldn't be that hard. After all, you did that up through junior year." One more mention of junior year and I'll go all Lima Heights on their ass.

"Shut up, Tubbers!" I stand from the bench and walk to her, pointing in her face, "You don't know anything about me or my relationship. You don't know about the pain of rejection and being alone. You've always had someone there with you: Finn, Puck, Sam, and now Rachel."

She rolls her eyes, "You seem to have forgotten my punk phase beginning of senior year."

I continue, "But you weren't rejected; at least not really. You just refused to let us in. Try confessing to your best friend that you're in love with her, only for her to tell you that she is going to stay with a stupid boy."

Quinn glances at my strangely, "Santana, I remember all this and I thought you had gotten past it. Why are you bringing it up now?" She paused, "Is it because of Landslide?"

I sigh, "The last time I sang that in front of people was with Ms. Holliday and Brit. It brought back a lot of memories. Including some things I would have rather stayed forgotten. Wait, how did you know I sang Landslide tonight?"

"I was in the back for the performance. You've gotten good on the guitar." She smiles, "And I could tell it wasn't easy for you."

"Thanks, I guess. That was actually the first song I taught myself on guitar when I started playing. I was just drawn to it," I take a deep breath and look down, "I don't know what I'm doing, Quinn. If I tell Dani the truth, it's like admitting that it's really over between me and Brit."

Q walks closer and throws her arm around my shoulders in comfort, but all it seems to do is make me miss the past. "Santana, she's getting married in a few months. If that happens, then it really will be over. You have to decide what you want and fast before something happens that you can't reverse. Do you have any sort of plan?"

"I need to see her relationship with her fiancée and her feelings in general. I hope I can still read her like I could in high school."

"And then what are you going to do?" What is this? 20 Questions?

"If I see something wrong, I'll get Brit to call it off. Then maybe I'll have a chance to redeem myself for being an idiot." Hopefully.

"And if there's nothing wrong?" Damn it, Q. Why do you have to bring this up?

"Then I guess I'll make her wedding the happiest day of her life," I reply sadly looking down at the ring on my right hand. I pull away from Quinn's embrace to get back to work.

I finish cleaning and go to lock up, with Quinn following me outside. We walk back in silence with a few glances shared between us, both of us aware of the uncertainty that awaits us in Lima.

 **I'm back! School's a bitch, but what are you going to do. Hopefully I made up for it with a longer chapter. I've tried to keep Santana as consistent as possible with her views on Brit and Dani, so sorry if it seems jumbled. Also, that Annie debate that Rachel and Kurt were having: it was merely a filler but it's an actual conversation I have with my friends a lot. Santana's response is essentially my opinion. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited the story so far. I look forward to your feedback. As usual, you can PM me or message me via tumblr (Sentimental-idiot). The next chapter should be up within the month (hopefully) and will flash forward to the group in Lima!**


	4. Back in Lima

**I'm back! Ok as always, I do not own any of Glee/Disney. All mistakes are my own. Enjoy.**

Back in Lima

Santana POV

 _Welcome to Lima_

The plane continues its descent as I wake up from my nap. I'm beginning to regret booking a 6 am flight. I lift my head and notice Dani stirring on my shoulder. Rachel and Kurt are sitting in front of us, both seeming to wake up as well. It's not like it was a long flight, it was just too damn early. I can't believe we are going to be back in Lima. It's only Sunday, so we have the whole week to relax before heading back to the city. Mr. Schue called together a New Directions meeting for Tuesday afternoon with a party following in the evening. Whoever isn't in Lima already is flying in mostly today. Mercedes is flying in with Sam and Artie from LA this afternoon, Quinn and Brittany later this morning. Last I heard, Puck and the Changs are already in Lima. The plane touches down and it takes me by surprise. I glance at my phone 7:55. The flight was a little less than 2 hours. I also notice a text from Puck.

 _Sup Lezpez. Text me when you guys get your luggage, I'm in the parking lot. I'll pull up when you're ready. Hope you joined the mile high club ;)_

I roll my eyes responding to the text that we just landed. As soon as the plane pulls up to the gate, I jump up and grab my guitar case from the overhead compartment as Dani and the Broadway twins grab their belongings. We make our way through the airport and I can't help but feel a pull on my heartstring. The last time I was here was before Brit left for MIT. I take a deep breath preparing myself for facing Lima again. There are going to be reminders everywhere, especially back at McKinley. I text Puck when we grab our luggage and make our way to the curb. Next thing I know, a black pickup truck pulls up with Bon Jovi blasting from inside.

"What's up nerds? My hot Jewish princess, Lady Face, Lesbro, and who might you be gorgeous?" Puck takes Dani's hand goes to kiss it when I step in front of knock him across the head.

"Shut it, Puckerman. This is Dani, my girlfriend," I say as I take hold of her hand. Dani smiles and kisses my cheek and Puck backs away with hands up in defense.

"Ow! Alright, alright sorry! Damn girl. I didn't think you could get such a hot chicka is all," he says as he climbs into the truck.

The rest of us climb in the back with Rachel in shotgun. I reply smirking, "Hey, I scored Brit, didn't I?"

"Yea, but she's special," he retorts with a wink.

"Watch it, Puckerman." I feel Snix rising from within. I know I shouldn't be getting this defensive since I know he's only messing with me. Dani gives me a strange look. This is going to be a long week.

"Oh just like old times. How about we grab some food and relax until everyone else gets in town?" suggests Kurt.

"Actually," Rachel starts, "How about we get some rest and then grab lunch with Quinn. Their flight lands around 11:30 I believe."

I glance at her, "Sounds like a plan. Who is picking them up?" Everyone starts sharing looks. I could always pick them up in my car, but Dani wouldn't be too happy and I'm a little scared to see Brit again.

Dani turns to me, "Santana, you have your car here right? Why don't we pick them up?"

"Um yea my car is here. But it'll be a tight squeeze with the 5 of us in the car. But yea I guess we can pick them up. I'll just text Quinn and let her know." I pull out my phone to send the message when I see a notification. It's a text from Brittany.

 _Hey Santana! We are boarding our plane to head to Lima now. I can't wait to see you! I actually wanted to hang out with you, like old times, just the two of us. Well not exactly like old times; there'd be no sweet lady kisses, at least not between us. Jasmine is spending time with my parents tomorrow night as a bonding thing. I know Dani is with you, but maybe she can hang out with Rachel and them. Let me know. I'll see you in a bit!_

I smile at the message. I can't believe it's been a year since I've seen her. I send the text to Quinn, but say nothing to Brit. It'll be a surprise, plus I want Dani to meet Brit before I tell her that she's stuck with Yentl tomorrow. The ride back to town is uneventful. We keep up with small talk. Puck talks about the cougar he's banging and how Jake is doing at college. Dani and I are dropped off at my house first. I notice both my parents' cars in the driveway as we make our way to the front door. I pull out my keys to unlock the door when Dani stops me for a second.

"Santana, should I be scared of your parents?"

"No, not at all. They'll love you." The mention of the l-word caught both of us off guard. I go back to opening the door and step inside.

"Mami, Papi. We're here." I yell out. I hear rustling from the kitchen and see my parents emerge.

"Santana! We've missed you! And this must be Dani," Papi says as he hugs me and goes to hug Dani as well. She's surprised at first but hesitantly returns the hug.

"Yes, sir. It's nice to meet you."

"None of this sir crap. You can call me Mario. And this is my lovely wife, Maribel."

"Oh it's so nice to meet you, Dani. I've heard you kept our Santana out of trouble, so you have our thanks."

"Mami!"

"Oh hush Santana, you know it's true. Would you girls like some breakfast?"

"We'll have something small, and then we are taking a short nap. We are picking up Quinn and Brittany from the airport around 11:30."

"Oh Brittany's also coming home?"

"Yea. And she's bringing her fiancée, Jasmine. I'm going to be Brit's maid of honor, so we want to get some wedding stuff out of the way seeing as we won't see each other much."

The look on my parents' faces is one that resembles Kurt, Rachel, and Quinn's when I told them the news. Is there going to be anyone in this town that won't give me that look?

After a small breakfast consisting of bagels and bacon with a bit of small talk, Dani and I head up to my room to get a few hours of sleep. We step into the surprisingly clean room. I haven't been back here since that day 4 years ago. Pictures line the mirror, knick-knacks on the dresser. We drop our luggage in the corner and head to the bed. I set an alarm on my phone for 10:30 to give us plenty of time to get up and head to the airport. We lay down and Dani is asleep immediately. There is a good foot of space between us as we sleep. We never did try to cuddle when we sleep. Even after sex, it just seemed odd to sleep so close. I turn on my side towards my dresser and I go to sleep with memories replaying in my head.

 _I finish brushing out Brit's long golden hair and put the brush down so I can pull her hair into a high pony. I always loved playing with her hair, especially after our long make-out sessions. As I'm tying the band, I hear her speak._

" _I want to talk to you about something," I wait for her to continue as I finish her hair. "I really like when we make out, and stuff." I mean yea, that's why we do it. Cause it's freaking hot and we both like it._

" _Which isn't cheating, because…?" I quiz her as I step next to her._

" _The plumbing's different," she answers._

" _Mmhm." I respond. Yes, I know it's technically cheating, but as long as Brit doesn't think it is, we can keep doing it. Ever since we started dating Cripples we haven't gotten to hang out as much. Ever since he accused her of cheating during Sectionals, she's been hanging around him even more. And there's nothing wrong with getting our sweet lady kisses on._

" _But when Artie and I are together we talk about stuff like feelings." She looks at me through the mirror as I reapply my lip gloss. I was scared that she would start asking these questions. Hopefully I can steer her away from the topic._

" _Why?"_

" _Because with feelings, it's better," she says nonchalantly. Brit could be saying the secret to the universe and say it like's it no big deal. And what does she mean it's better with feelings?_

" _Are you kidding?" I respond, "It's better when it doesn't involve feelings. I think it's better when it doesn't involve eye contact." I don't think I've enjoyed a time with feelings. I lost my virginity when I was 15 to this really hot football player, Zack. I had such a crush on him at the time. While having sex, I had so many feelings about us, but it was a disappointment. I was just a fuck to him. I cried to Brittany that night and she just held me. I learned then that sex doesn't mean anything, it's just about getting off and having fun. As soon as feelings get involved, it turns into a mess._

" _I don't know, I guess I just don't know how I feel about us." Fuck, fuck, fuck. I can't do this conversation. Can't she just accept that it's fun for both of us? Why do there have to be feelings, or another way to look at "us"? We've been best friends for years and I would do anything for her. She's suggesting there's more to it than friends "us". The thought of that is crazy and ridiculous and and wonderful and WAIT… I didn't say that last part. That would make me… no way. Not possible._

" _Look, let's be clear here. I'm not interested in any labels," I tell her as I move towards my bed to pick up a pillow from the floor and place it on the very messy bed. We got pretty into it today. "Unless it's on something I shoplift." I add trying to lighten the mood. Seriously, this conversation is getting a little too serious for me._

" _I don't know, Santana. I think we should talk to somebody. Like an adult. This relationship is really confusing for me."_

" _Breakfast is confusing for you," I counter._

" _Well, sometimes it's sweet and sometimes it's salty. Like, what if I have eggs for dinner, then – what is it?"_

 _I stare at her for another moment. Is she right? Brit always was a genius, but the thought of talking to someone about this is…scary. Heck last year when Brit made the comment about our sex life to the glee club, I got a few questioning looks from Wheezy and Lady Hummel. And maybe there has been something between Brit and me. I mean we make out a lot, we are always together. But that's just because we're best friends, right? Maybe we should talk to someone just to clear the air. But there is no way in hell we are talking to someone who works at McKinley. Mr. Schue would make it lesson of the week, Ms. Pillsbury would get flustered and freak out, and Coach is just completely out of the question. Then again, Holly is still in town and I don't know what it is about her, but I just feel like I could trust her._

" _Fine, we'll talk to someone. But only if that someone is Ms. Holliday. I don't want any of the others getting involved in our business." Brit gives a small smile, gets up and hugs me. Hesitantly, I hug her back and squeeze a little harder. I just know that this talk is going to change things, and I'm too scared for them to._

"Don't Stop Believing, Hold on to that feeling"

I groan and reach for my phone. Remind me again why I used that as my alarm? I look over at Dani and see she is still asleep.

"Hey, babe. Time to wake up," I gently shake her. She starts stirring and eventually opens her eyes. After a short kiss, we both get up and freshen up before heading downstairs. I grab my keys and we head to my car. Oh how I've missed my navy blue Chevy Cruze. This was my true baby. We get in the car and I check the time. 11:00, we have plenty of time to get to the airport before they land. I turn on the radio and start driving towards the highway. About 5 minutes into the drive, Dani turns off the radio and looks at me.

"Ok, I know every time the topic of Brittany is brought up I get worried and you get defensive. But I need you to be completely honest right now. Should I be worried about you and Brittany?" I glance over at her while still maintaining my focus on the road. "Brittany is my best friend and she was my first girlfriend. She'll always be important to me. But no, you shouldn't be worried. I'm dating you, heck we've been living together for 2 weeks, and Britt is getting married in 5 months. There is nothing between us anymore." As I spoke, I heard a voice in my head call out _bullshit_. I glance over at Dani and her expression softens at my reassurance. She nods and grasps my hand over the center console. I give her a small smile as I take the exit towards the airport. I pull into the Cell Phone Lot and text Quinn saying we are there and for her to text me when they are on their way out. Barely 2 minutes later, Q texts back saying they are heading towards baggage claim. I take a deep breath as I pull away from the lot. I guess it's now or never.

I pull up to the curb, put my flashers on and step out of the car. I keep shaking my hands trying to get rid of the nerves. Then I hear a particular voice among the hundreds around me.

"Quinnie, I can't believe we are back in Lima! Did you text Puck telling him we're here?" There is no mistaking who that voice belongs to. I see three figures walk towards us, but obviously don't see us yet. On the left is Quinn in her 'travel outfit' all dressed up. Like seriously, this girl needs to remember how to bum it out sometimes. On the right, I almost have to do a double take. Tan skin, dark eyes, and bright red hair. If it weren't for the hair, I would think I found my long lost sister or something. Before I can think anything else I hear Quinn respond.

"Actually Brit, someone else is picking us up,"

The blonde in the middle stops midstride when she looks up and our eyes meet. All at once I take in her appearance. That smooth blonde hair blowing in the breeze, those toned legs outlined in skinny jeans. She is just… perfect. And those eyes! Oh how I've missed those shining sapphires. I'm so lost in the gaze, I barely hear the other Latina question my angel… my Brittany.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

Brit lets go of the girl's hand and suitcase and takes off towards me. I can't help but smile as I see her draw closer. I take a few steps forward and feel her launching herself into my arms. I almost lose my balance, but luckily my instincts kick in and I'm hugging her back with everything I have. I'm surrounded by blonde hair and the faint scent of berries.

"I've missed you so much, Brit Brit." Tears are threatening to spill from my eyes and I feel her hug tighter.

"I've missed you too, Sanny," Her voice is heavy with emotion. I pull her closer and enjoy the feeling of being back in her arms. Then I hear another voice, "Nice to see you too, Satan."

I hesitantly pull back from Brit and see Quinn, the redhead, and Dani looking at us. Brit is still smiling from our little reunion and trying to wipe away some forming tears.

"Long time, no see, Lucy." I pulls Q into a short hug and sense another figure walking up behind us.

"Nice to see you again, Quinn. What's it been? Two weeks?" Dani asks. Quinn looks at the girl and nods. "Yea about that long."

I immediately feels something in the pit of her stomach. I honestly forgot Dani was there as soon as I saw Brittany. Speaking of who, I look to Brit.

"Oh, Brit. This is my girlfriend, Dani." A flash of a look crosses her face, but it is gone as quickly as it appears. Was it all in my head? Brit takes Dani's outstretched hand, "It's nice to finally meet you. This is my fiancée, Jasmine."

I finally take in a better look at the mystery redhead. She's about an inch taller than herself, light tan skin, dark brown eyes. Yep, this girl shared many physical qualities with herself. Except for the hair. It's almost blinding. Brittany catches my uneasiness for a second, but then gives a small smile.

"Nice to meet you, Jasmine. Oh and congrats on the engagement. I can tell, Brit is a lucky girl."

"Believe me, I'm the lucky one," she gives a loving glance to her fiancée. There's that pain again.

" Alrighty, I guess we should hit the road," I break the silence and grabs the suitcases to put in the trunk. Before the girls could reach the car, I open the back door and waves her hand. "For you, my guests." Quinn goes in first rolling her eyes, Jasmine gives a strange look but politely thanks me, and Brittany giggles as she gets in last. Before I could close the door, B stands and pecks me on the cheek and sits back down. I almost reach up to my cheek until I remembers where I am and the circumstances. I quickly close the back door and open the passenger side door for Dani, "For you, m'lady." Dani also looks puzzled but offers a thanks as she climbs in. I run to the other side and as soon as I slide into my seat, Dani cups my face and connects our lips. "Thanks babe", she says.

I smile, turning back to the wheel and catching a glimpse of my best friend in the rear view mirror. The blonde quickly lowered her head and grasped her fiancée's hand. That feeling in my stomach returned as I shifted gears and drove back towards Lima. I swear I didn't imagine that look.

The drive way back was filled with small talk trying to fill the awkward silence. And yet there was a tension in the air which no one dared to bring up. Everyone in the car was aware of Brit's and mine's past relationship. Dani and Jasmine have heard the stories, Quinn stood by our sides, and Brit and I lived it.

"So San, how's New York? Are Kurt and Rachel still driving you crazy?" Brit asks.

"It can be a bit crazy, though I actually moved in with Dani 2 weeks ago. Lady Hummel and Grandma Berry were looking for a new place."

"San, when are you going to stop with the names? High school was 6 years ago."

"Old habits die hard."

"Are you still working at that diner?"

"No, but Dani does. I work at this new restaurant/bar as a bartender and part time entertainer."

Quinn cuts in, "Yea she's gotten pretty good with guitar."

Brittany looks up, "You play guitar now?"

I looks in the rearview mirror and replie, "Yea, Dani taught me. I'm still working on it, but I can keep up with most songs."

"I wanna hear it!"

"Maybe at the reunion."

"Oh Sanny, did you get my text this morning? We need to talk about the wedding."

Dani gives me a questioning look as I continue driving, "Yea I saw it this morning. I'll let you know." I reach my hand over the center console to Dani's and give a reassuring squeeze. "So Q, did Puck say what the plan is?"

"Yea, uh lunch at Breadstix whenever we are ready. Do we want to go straight there or freshen up first?"

Jasmine speaks up, "I'd like to go freshen up first if that's ok. I don't want to smell airplane when I meet everyone."

"Ok, I'll drop you guys off and we'll meet at Breadstix around 1."

"Actually Sanny," Brit says, "can you give us a ride? I haven't driven in a while and it's starting to get icy."

"No problem. I'll let you know when I leave my parents' house."

"Oh tell Mario and Maribel I said hi! I miss them!"

"Haha I will. Tell Whitney and Pierce I miss them and I say hey."

We pull up to the Pierce residence and I can't help but reminisce of the times I would spend in the house. The tree in the backyard which I would climb to sneak into the blonde's room is still growing tall. The memories bring a smile to my faces as they give each other a knowing look.

"I'll see you guys soon!" Brit and Jasmine wave as they head up towards the house. I take a deep breath and pull away.

"Quinn, do you need a ride too?"

"No, actually can you take me to Rachel's?"

"I knew it. But won't they question you arriving with Berry?"

"I think they'll be distracted by Jasmine. I was the only one who knew her before today."

"Well I guess we'll find out if she is friend approved from everyone else."

We pull up to the Berry residence and Quinn exits the car. I stay parked outside as Quinn rings the doorbell and Rachel answers the door. Both girls smile and embrace each other and share a short sweet kiss. Rachel spots me watching out of the corner of my eye and gives a small wave which I nod in return. I pull away and starts driving back towards my parents' house.

"Well I guess now I've finally met Brittany. Her fiancée is nice too." As much as I want to say something about Jasmine, especially the uncanny resemblance to me, I decide against it.

"Yea, I'm glad Brit found someone."

"What text was she talking about?"

"Brit text me this morning wanting to hang out tomorrow night to work on wedding stuff. You can check my phone, if you don't believe me. I was going to talk to you about it. Since it's going to be all wedding stuff, it'll just be her and me. If you don't want me to go or whatever, then I'll tell Brit I can't. I'm not going to lie, I really want to go so I can see how she is alone. That would also mean you would be stuck with either my parents or Rachel, your choice."

"Santana, I trust you. Now seeing how you and Brittany interact, I know that you guys are best friends. I'll probably hang with Kurt since Rachel will be with Quinn alone."

We arrive back at the house and Dani goes straight upstairs to freshen up a bit. I head towards the kitchen, noticing Mami on the phone. I overhear part of the conversation.

"Let me know if you sense anything else, Whitney. We miss talking to you, too. I'll visit the fortress later today to clean it. Ok. Bye Whitney. Have a good day."

I walk in the room, "Brittany says hello and she misses you," I say relaying the message on.

"Oh Santana, I didn't hear you come in. I was just talking to Whitney. She said she was happy to finally meet Jasmine."

"Wait, she never met the Pierces?" That was odd, like really odd. When Brittany liked someone, she would introduce them to her entire family within the first week.

"They got engaged so quickly and Brittany was always busy at school. I've heard that Brit met the Smiths on multiple occasions however. Oh and Whitney said that this Jasmine has a striking resemblance to you."

"I guess Brit has a type."

"We both know Brittany doesn't have a type, she has a person."

"Mami, what are you doing? Why are you bringing this up? I have a girlfriend and Brittany is engaged. I'm going to be helping her with wedding stuff tomorrow night."

"I'm assuming you two will be hiding in the castle?"

"How do you- "

"Oh please. Do you really think we are that clueless? You'll be happy to know that it's still standing. The Pierces and we have been keeping up with it for when you girls returned home. Santana, please get through to her. Something seems off with this wedding."

"Yea I know, but Jasmine is a good person from what I can tell so far. I might unleash Snix on her to get a better read, but she checks out."

"And how is Brittany? C'mon Santanita. We love her like our own daughter. Heck I wish she were my daughter..."

"Mami! Stop. That was the past. I care about Brit too and that's also why I wanted to see her tomorrow. If something is up, I'll be able to tell."

"Alright. So what is on your schedule for this week?"

"In a few minutes, we are heading out to lunch with some of the gang. Tomorrow night I'm meeting with Brit. Tuesday afternoon: Glee meeting, night: reunion party. Thursday is Thanksgiving here I'm assuming. And our flight is next Sunday. As of now, we're free tomorrow and Tuesday morning, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Though I'll probably be with the gang for most of it."

Dani comes downstairs.

"Hey babe. Ready to go?"

"Yea, let me just text Brit. Bye Mami. Tell Papi we'll see him tonight."

"Have fun girls!"

I pull out my phone and type out a text to Brit.

 _Hey Brit Brit. We are leaving my parents' house now._

We climb into the car and head back to the Pierce residence. Brit and Jasmine walk out and towards the car. I look behind them and see Whitney and Pierce waving. I smile and wave back. They may have seemed clueless at times, but they are a second family to me. When I came out to them, they just hugged me and told me that Brittany and I can finally start making babies. Brit and I couldn't stop blushing.

"Hi Sanny!"

"Hey Brit Brit. Ready to go?" I look at the back seat at the two girls. Brit is now wearing a long pink sweater with leggings and boots. Jasmine is wearing skinny jeans with a turquoise top and flats. The girls nod and I pull away from the house. The ride is short and mostly silent. I can't tell if it's an awkward silence or a comfortable one. I pull into my regular spot and see Puck's truck already parked. When we enter the restaurant, we are greeted with the call of our names. Puck, Kurt, Rachel, Quinn, and the Changs are waving us towards our booth. We greet each other and are about to introduce Dani and Jaz when Puck interrupts.

"And who might you be gorgeous?" Puck wags his eyebrows to Jaz. Brit ruffles his Mohawk.

"This is Jasmine, my fiancée." There it is again, the sting. I introduce Dani to Mike and Tina and they give small waves and smiles. Once we slide into the booth, the awkward silence sets in for a few moments until Kurt breaks the ice with wedding questions. I'm grateful we have something to talk about, but this conversation is not the best option. We decided we will start dress shopping on Wednesday and continue over the weekend as some of us are planning to do Black Friday shopping. They wanted to keep the wedding party small, so I'm Brit's maid of honor with Quinn and Brit's sister Sarah as the two other bridesmaids. Luckily, the conversation changed to careers and Mike spoke up,

"I'm opening a dance studio here in Lima. Mr. Schue is going to help out, but I can always use more. Brittany, do you want to maybe teach a few classes? It'll be just like old times."

"Oh, I don't know Mike, I 'm not dancing anymore."

We were all in shock, "WHAT?!"

Mike just stared at her with his mouth agape, "Brit, you're one of the best dancers I know. Why did you stop?"

"I had to focus on my studies."

I looked long and hard at her. Her lips are help tight together, almost like she's biting her tongue. Her eyes glance towards Jasmine, who looks like she is trying to swallow an apple whole. Something is going on.

"B, a year ago you were looking at studios." I hold her glance for a few moments before she replies.

"Yea well, a lot can happen in a year, Santana. Things change." I swear I see a flicker in her eyes, similar to the one I saw when I introduced Dani. I didn't realize it at first, but everyone nervously looked between us. Since that night last year, a few people have taken sides in the matter while a majority remained as neutral as possible. I think they just had a hope that we would resolve the issue. I guess we were all wrong in that. Jasmine is the first to break the silence.

"Brit, can I talk to you in the bathroom real quick?" They excuse themselves from the booth and head towards the restrooms.

"What was that about?" Puck asked, "I mean, I know it didn't end pretty, but talk about passive aggressive. Q, has she always been like that?"

"Not since Jasmine proposed. She seems more on edge than usual though. Probably too many reminders here in Lima."

Now that I really think about it, Quinn's right about the reminders. Lima is still a small town. Everywhere Britt goes, people will know her history with me. Not to mention we've been all around town together. From McKinley to the duck pond to the castle and even to the very booth we are sitting in. I must have spaced out for a second because Q's calling my name.

"San, I know it's awkward, but you know Brit the best. Can you get through to her?"

"Well, we are meeting up tomorrow night for wedding planning. I know something is off with her, but I'm not sure if she'll say. She's right Q, a lot can change in a year. Actually… if you'll excuse me…" I get up and head towards the bathroom. Brit always had a hard time keeping quiet whether it was during our sweet lady kisses or even private conversations. Sure enough, when I get close to the door I hear the couple's conversation.

"You'll be giving up so much. It's not worth it, Brit," I hear Jasmine say.

"I agreed to this. I'm not backing out."

"It's still early. You still have an out. If we wait longer, it'll be harder."

"We already talked about this…"

"You miss dancing and your life here. And, I'm not blind I see…"

"Don't. I made my choice. And this discussion is over."

I run back to the table and slip into my spot before Britt and her fiancée walk back. There's a strange tension between the two. What were they talking about? Is Brittany being forced into marrying Jasmine? And if so, why is she agreeing with it? The Brittany I know wouldn't allow someone to decide something like that for her. Maybe something really did happen. I look around and notice Jasmine is in deep conversation with Dani and the rest of the gang as they share our glee stories. I reach for Brit's pinky and link it with mine.

"You ok?" I whisper to her. We don't even need to talk, we know exactly what we want to say just from the looks and body language.

"Yea. I'm fine." She replies. Her smile is forced and dull. Her eyes are pale blue. Her shoulders are fallen like she just wants to disappear. She is obviously not okay, but she just wants to drop the subject and can't wait to escape everyone. I squeeze her pinky and turn to the group just in time to hear Mike talking about the 'Valerie' performance junior year at Sectionals. Before he can continue, I cut him off.

"Sorry, not sorry to butt in, but we're all kinda tired from our flights. Plus someone should head to the airport to pick up Trouty, Wheezy, and Stubbles. As for the rest of us, we are heading out." I feel Britt squeeze my pinky in thanks as the rest of the group try to convince us to stay.

Dani turns to me, "Actually babe, I want to stick around. I never get to hear high school stories except for the ones Kurt and Rach share."

Jasmine leans towards Brit, "C'mon let's stay. I know you missed everyone."

"Sorry guys, I'm just really tired. San, can you just drop me off at home?"

"Of course Brit-Brit."

"Jasmine and Dani," Kurt starts, "I can take you guys back if you want."

Both girls nod and thank him. Brit and I stand, bid our goodbyes, and head out. We climb in my car and just as I'm turning the car on, Brit is messing adjusting the temperature controls and I can't help but smile as she does it so naturally despite not being in this car for years.

"Thank you, Santana," she whispers. I look over at her, but she keeps her gaze on her hands.

I reach over to her shoulder for her to look at me. "You know I will always help you. Now, tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours."

She takes a deep breath, "I don't know. It's just weird being back in Lima. It's like nothing has changed but…everything's changed. I'm sorry, can you just bring me home? I'm sorry for being so stupid."

"Hey," I lift her chin to look at me, "you are not stupid. It's a lot to take in being back here, I understand."

She gives me a small smile and nods. I start to pull out of the parking lot and notice all the memories we pass on the drive. From the duck pond to the ice cream parlor, our story resides in Lima. I can tell Brit notices it too as she seems to shrink into her seat as we continue the drive. Finally, I pull up to her house. We sit awkwardly in the driveway waiting for the other to speak. I'm about to open my mouth when B beats me to it.

"So, how about we meet at the castle around 6:30?" she asks.

"That sounds great. I-uh guess I'll see you then," I whisper back.

"Thanks again for the ride, Santana. I've- I've really missed you." She offers a small smile and gets out of the car heading up to the house.

"I've really missed you too, Brittany." I say to no one in particular. I watch her disappear into the house, but make no progress to leave. I sit there for a few more moments taking in the lingering scent of my passenger. I haven't been near it in a year, but it feels like just yesterday. I give one last glance to the house before I back out of the driveway and head home. I had hoped to talk to Brit longer to figure things out, but I guess I'll do that tomorrow night. When I get home, I go straight upstairs without so much as a word to my parents. I find myself sitting on my bed with my guitar. I've been trying to write a song since high school, but nothing ever came to me. When I'm trying to think, I find myself playing Landslide subconsciously. I think of the events of today and soon find myself strumming another tune. There's something to it that seems soothing. I continue to play around with some chords until I find a nice progression. I'm so caught up in it, that I don't see Dani come in the room. I glance at the clock and realize I'm been playing for a few hours. Dani goes on to tell me about meeting 'Cedes, Sam, and Artie and all the stories. I merely nod along barely paying attention. We grab a quick snack from downstairs and head to bed. I stare at the ceiling for what seems like hours thinking about the meeting with Brit tomorrow. Hopefully I can get her to open up about the past year… hopefully.

 **A/N: Yes, I'm alive. Damn homework and finals have been kicking my butt all semester. Anyway, sorry for the long wait. Hopefully I can get the next chapters finished quickly as I've been working on several at once (though 3 of them are towards the end). Any and all reviews are much appreciated and as always, feel free to message me. Thanks!**


	5. Memory Lane

**Sorry for the long wait. Here is the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own Glee.**

Memory Lane

Santana's POV

I wake up relatively early for no apparent reason. I roll onto my side checking my phone. 7:00 AM. Geez why is it so early. I glance at Dani who is still fast asleep. She's freaking snoring again. No wonder I woke up so early. Grrrr. Snoring should be against the law. I might as well do something productive. I quickly get changed into track pants and a workout shirt deciding to go on a run to clear my head. I haven't gone for a run like this since high school when I had to think about my future. If someone told me that I was going to end up a singing bartender in high school, I would have laughed at their face. Especially if they told me that Brittany wasn't going to be with me. Man, I remember when everything we decided was decided with the assumption that we were always going to be together. I turn the corner, and nearly take out another runner.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" I yell at the idiot as I try to regain my balance. I look up to the clumsy runner and am surprised to find none other than Jasmine.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Santana. I'm still not used to the area," she quickly apologizes. I roll my eyes and am about to continue my route when Jaz calls my name again.

"What do you want?" I ask annoyed.

"Oh, um. Could you help me get back to Brittany's? I managed to get lost and my stupid phone died on me." I can't tell if she is doing this just to piss me off or it's simply because she's lost.

"Yea whatever." I grumble. We are a good 2 miles from the Pierce residence, but I have a feeling it's going to feel more like 20 miles. The first few blocks are extremely awkward as not a word is said. Maybe I can make this a little more interesting.

"So, how did you and Brit meet?" I ask.

"Are you sure you want to know?" she asks. I glare at her in response and she sighs. "ok, just don't get all pissy on me. I met her at a bar. She seemed to be drinking to forget something and I offered to help her forget in another way. It started out as a casual fling, but I asked her out after a few months and she said yes. And the rest is history." She glances up to gauge my reaction and I don't think she was quite prepared for it. She was getting to meet Snix.

"You're entire relationship was based off of sex?! That is no way to establish a relationship. Why the hell did you propose so soon? Neither of you should be ready for marriage right now." I scream at her.

"Like you're one to talk," she starts. "Brit told me how you two started as friends with benefits. Heck, you're the one who denied her for so long. You have no right to judge our relationship."

Why does everyone have to bring that up? "ok listen up Pretty Pretty Princess. Brit is still my best friend. She is a pure genius but since idiotic people can't understand how her mind works, they bring her down. She is never to be brought down. And although I may not approve of your beginnings, I will always support Brit. So let me make this easier for your robotic mind to understand. If you so much as cause her any pain or I see her with anything less than a smile because of you, I will ends you. I can show you how much force it takes to crack skulls before you have time to write a single equation. Am I clear?" I backed her up to the nearest wall as Snix did the rest. I did a self-five as I saw fear flash through her expression.

"I-I um yes."

"Good, now let's get going."

"Santana, one more thing. Can we not tell Brit about this? I think she wanted to tell you in another way, but I wanted you to know the truth."

I nod. And then something clicks, "Jasmine, when you met Brit in the bar? Do you remember the day?"

"It was February I think. Yea. Cause I asked her out about 2 months after that day. April 22. She was mumbling something about a music bird or something. She looked pretty heartbroken."

February, February… oh god. That was when I started dating Dani. How could I be so stupid?

"Yea, I can imagine. C'mon, let me take you back to Brit's."

We walked mostly in silence back to the Pierce residence. As soon as we reached the driveway, I stopped. We said small goodbyes and I was about to turn around when I notice movement from the window. Blue eyes gaze back at me and I can't help but give a small smile. Brit's face breaks out into a huge grin and waves enthusiastically. With that, I turn and jog back towards home.

* * *

As soon as I get home, I take a quick shower and head downstairs.

"Aww it's so cute!" I hear Dani say. I look towards the couch and see her sitting next to Mami with a photo album laid across their laps. Oh no, not the baby pictures.

"Oh hell no!" I shout as I race towards them and try grabbing the book. I end up sprawled on the floor with Dani holding the book higher.

"Aw San, you were so adorable when you were a kid." I groan in response.

"Now Santinita," my mother starts, "it's about time your girlfriend sees these pictures. You can hang them in your apartment."

"That's just weird. Why would I want pictures of little me out where everyone can see them? And why are you even looking through the book?"

"Well, Whitney called and asked if I had any pictures of Brittany for the wedding. You two have a lot of pictures in here." Oh dammit.

Dani's grin started to fade as she turned the page and sure enough, there were a few pages of Brit and me. Some pictures dated back to the first time we met in 2nd grade. I wanted to feel bad for Dani seeing all these pictures, but my mind was too busy taking in the memories. I wish Brit was here so we could reminisce together. Dani continues flipping through the pages until she comes across the very last picture. It's a picture of Brit and I when we were 9 and played dress up with our mom's clothes… including making our own wedding dresses and putting on a pretend wedding. Abuela used to do that with me when she would babysit me and I introduced the game to Brit. Dani looked up to see a few tears forming in my eyes at the memories rushing back.

"Santanita, I'm so sorry. I should have never brought these out," Mami starts apologizing, closing the book.

I sniffle and give an understanding smile, "its ok. That's the past anyway. Can I make copies of some of these pictures? I want to show them to Brit tonight." Mami nods and takes the album to the other room. Dani stands up beside me and just hugs me. I awkwardly return the hug. Don't get me wrong, hugs are great, but Dani's are so out of character. They just feel off. Mami comes back in the room with the copies. I take the stack and head upstairs to put with my bag that I'm taking tonight.

Dani comes in the room and observes the trinkets lining my bureau with a questioning look. "Hey Santana, what are all these from?" she asks.

"Just some past memories mostly. Everything I keep up there has some story behind it. Though, I haven't been back here since 4 years ago, so they are typically high school memories," I respond.

Dani asks about each item and I relay the story. From the slushee cup that we used at Regionals junior year to the black lace gloves from our "Bad Romance" performance to my senior year corsage are among the dozens of the items. What can I say? I'm a hoarder. I even kept some of the confetti from our performances and when we won Nationals. I'm some kind of sentimental idiot or something. By the time I finish reminiscing, I notice it's already 2pm. Where did the time go?

"So, what are your plans for tonight?" I ask Dani.

"Well, I talked to Kurt and he's giving me a tour of Lima. We might meet up with a few people for drinks, but that's about it. You ready for your night with Brittany?"

"Yea, I have my calendar and notebooks ready. Knowing Brit, she's going to want a huge fairytale wedding which will be very difficult to pull off in the short time period."

"Where are you guys meeting? Like are you just going over to her house and Jasmine is going to scram for a few hours?" she asks. I bit my lip because, I don't want to tell her about the castle It's our special place. I'm already a bit annoyed that our parents knew, but I guess it makes sense.

"Actually, we have a usual hangout spot," I respond. Dani gives me a skeptical look and she has every right to be wary. "It's a secret hideout for us, ok? It's not nearly as sketchy as it sounds."

"Look, Santana, I trust you. I don't want to be the jealous girlfriend especially since Brittany is engaged. But don't screw it up." Dani has been getting on my nerves a bit lately. Maybe it's because I'm already on edge about the whole Brittany thing or what. The sooner I figure all this out, the better. I watch as she gets up and heads downstairs, I'm assuming to talk to my Mami. I go back to my bag and finish packing. Laptop? Check. Notebooks? Check? Wedding magazines I picked up in New York? Check. Now I wait.

* * *

When it's finally 6:15, I head out towards the castle. Thank god it's not a long drive. I grab my bag from the car and head through the woods. It's amazing how I can still find my way despite not being here for so long. When I finally see the castle in view, I pause and take it in. I take a deep breath and make my way to the ladder. I notice the engraving again, but it's faded. I trace my fingers over it and sigh. Part of me wants to re-engrave it, but the other part thinks I should etch it out. Testing the strength of the ladder, I hesitantly climb and crawl into our space. I look around and try to hold in my emotions. Everything is as it was. The books are still stacked; the pictures are still hanging. It even still smells like the vanilla candle we would sometimes light. The only difference I see is that it has obviously been cleaned and kept up with. Our old food is gone. In the middle of the floor sits a blanket and a picnic basket with a note. _Good Luck_. I can tell it's my Mami's handwriting easily and I just shake my head smiling. I turn my head and spot a familiar chest buried in the corner. Is that…? Oh my god it is! I kneel in front of the small chest and carefully blow off the chest. I trace the outline of a heart that is drawn around the lock. This is Brittany's heart.

" _Hey San?"_

" _Yea Brit?" I say glancing at my nails. It's a week before we officially start high school. Brit and I are hanging out in the castle not really doing anything. We had Cheerios practice all this morning and afternoon and just need to relax our muscles for a bit. Some Backstreet Boys is playing in the background just to give some sort of background noise._

" _How do you know who to marry?" she asks._

 _I stop what I'm doing and look at her. "What do you mean?"_

" _Well, your parents met in high school. My parents met in a diner. How do I know if I'm going to meet my person soon versus meeting them later? I don't want to marry the wrong person." She sits up and looks at me with concern._

 _I shrug, "You just know. And there's nothing wrong with marrying the wrong person. My Abuela married again after my Abuelo passed. That doesn't mean she loved him any less."_

" _Yea, but I don't want to lose my person. What if I meet them and then I do something stupid and hurt them?"_

" _You are not stupid, so stop saying that. And why do you keep saying 'your person'? You can say 'husband'."_

" _But I can marry girls too. Like when we were younger and I would marry you." I try to hide my blush and shake my head._

" _Brittany, look at me. I know you like both boys and girls, but you can't let people know. Other people don't understand your awesomeness and they'll hurt you. And society is the stupid ones. They still don't allow same sex couples to get married and yet in some places you can marry your cousin."_

" _Why would I want to marry my cousin? That's gross."_

" _We are getting off topic." I roll my eyes and get up to grab food._

" _Sanny, this is serious. Who do I marry?"_

" _It depends. Are you marrying for love?" I joke._

" _That's a dumb question, San. Of course it's for love. Why else would you marry?" Sometimes I forget how innocent Brittany is. I take a deep breath and prepare for the most cliché response I can think of._

" _You want to marry your soulmate. Do you remember when we watched Dawson's Creek and they talked about soulmates?" I ask. Brit furrows her eyebrows and slowly shakes her head. I continue, "To quote it:_

 _it's like a best friend, but more. It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It's someone who makes you a better person, well, actually they don't make you a better person - you do that yourself because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you, and accepted you, and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. And no matter what happens... you will always love them_

 _Do you understand?"_

" _San, you know you just described yourself. Does this mean I should marry you?" She gets up and stands in front of me. I guess I never thought about it like that. Is she my soulmate? No, of course not. She's just my best friend and we are both girls. I'm straight after all. I mean, I like boys even though they can be annoying and disgusting and rough. I let out a nervous laugh._

" _Um no Brit. Your soulmate will have the key to your heart. They will want to know everything about you, what makes you happy, your favorite things. They'll be your favorite person." I don't know where all this is coming from, but it makes sense. I look at Brit's face as realization sets in._

" _Oh, I get it! Thanks Sanny!" she kisses my cheek and sits back down. And then her face goes back to serious. "Hey Santana? You know how everyone talks about having sex? Is it really that great?"_

" _Brit, you know I don't know."_

" _But didn't you sleep with Noah?"_

" _No, I just made out with him. Nothing else happened. He's just been telling people that we did it."_

" _What-what if we lost our virginities at the same time? What if we slept with each other?" Where is all this coming from? Like I know, the girls in the locker room talked about sex so it's natural to be curious._

" _Brit, it's not the same. We are both girls. And your first time should be special, with someone you trust." My face is heating up at the thought of sleeping with Brit. That's natural even though I'm straight, right? Of course it is._

" _That's what I mean. I trust you more than anyone in this world. I-I want you to be my first."_

 _She looked so sure of herself. She wanted me to take her virginity. Yea, she would be taking mine too, but this is a lot to take in._

" _Brittany, you're my best friend. I-I don't want to hurt you," I whispered._

" _I trust you," she whispers back. Our eyes stay locked and we are each waiting for the other to do something, anything. Oh screw it! I lean in and softly kiss her._

 _Her lips touch mine and I immediately let go of my initial doubt. We've kissed before, but this has a whole new meaning. She reaches her arms around me to bring me closer. They start to slip under my shirt. I pull back gasping. "Are you sure?" I ask. She nods, "Yes. Are you? I don't want you to think that I'm forcing you." I gaze at her face looking for any doubt, but find none. "I'm sure Brit-Brit. Tell me if you want me to stop. At any time. I don't want to hurt you."_

 _Our lips find each other again and move slowly taking it all in. After a few moments, I pull back and find Brit's usually bright blue eyes have grown darker with desire._

" _We should go upstairs and get comfortable," I suggested. She nods, never breaking eye contact. I link our pinkies and lead us upstairs. I turn on a few low lights and make my way to the middle of the room which is lined with pillow and blankets. Am I ready for this? I mean, I don't care about losing my virginity, that's whatever. But taking Brittany's innocence? She deserves the best, someone to love all of her. I step forward and grab the hem of her shirt, looking up for permission. Brit nods and I remove her shirt in one motion. She tried to cover herself, embarrassed, but I take her hand and lift her chin._

" _You're beautiful, Brit. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." I give her another soft kiss reassuring her. We stay like that for a bit, until I feel her hands lift my shirt. We separate long enough to pull the shirt over my head. We slowly continue undressing each other until we are completely naked. We've seen it all before in the locker room, but this is different. I don't have to hide looking. My heart is beating fast and my face feels warm. That's just because I'm about to have sex, right? We lay down on the blankets and resume our lip lock. Brit's breathing is unsteady, so I pull back._

" _Are you ok?" I ask her. That's when I notice that my breathing is also labored._

" _Yea," she breaths out, "your boobs are really awesome." I blush at the compliment._

" _Well, your abs are pretty incredible too," I respond bending down to kiss them and maybe tickle her a bit._

" _hehehehe Saaaannn." She laughs and pulls me on top of her. After we stop laughing, we gaze at each other. This moment is so important to her. People will want to take advantage of her and could hurt her. She might not get a chance like this again. Soft kisses started becoming more urgent and my fingers made their way between her legs. As I feel how wet she is, I feel her gasp into my mouth. She mimics my movements and brings her fingers to my center. We move in sync building each other up. Her long fingers plunge in me as I move mine in her._

" _San," she gasps into my neck._

 _I hold her tight against me and reassure her, "I've got you Brit. Let it go." I whisper in her hair._

 _With that, she lets go and allows pleasure to overtake her. Just feeling her fall apart is enough to set me over the edge with her. The feeling is nothing I've ever felt before. I've gotten myself off before, but this feels so new. Her blue eyes meet mine and we can't stop from the smiles that spread over our faces. I carefully tuck a strand of hair behind her ear._

" _How are you feeling, B?" I ask her. She just keeps smiling._

" _That was magical. Thank you, San." She tightens her grip on my waist and we cuddle for a few minutes. As amazing as all this was, I know no one can find out about us. They'll surely hurt Brittany and it'll ruin how the school looks at us before we even get a chance to run it. Our moment is ruined when our parents call asking us to come home. We originally told them that we were over Quinn Fabray's house, so we get dressed and leave our sanctuary pinkies linked._

" _You know San, we should get a proper mattress for our castle. It'll come in handy," Brit remarks. I nod in agreement and we promise to meet back up there the next night._

 _The next night, Brittany comes in carrying a small chest._

" _I thought about what you said about whoever I'm going to marry. This is my heart," she motions towards the locked chest "and I'll marry whoever has the key. I want to make sure I marry the right person someday."_

" _But Brit, how did you get the key to it?" I ask._

" _Oh the key has been gone for a while. After I put my heart in here, I closed it and it wouldn't open again. So my soulmate must have the key."_

 _I play along because, how can you not? It's not until Brit is on the other side of the room that I noticed a key stuck in a ridge of the chest. Judging by the design, this key opens the chest. I glance back at Brit and see that she's messing with the stereo. I quickly put the key in my pocket. Brit will take her theory seriously. At least this way, I can make sure I approve before she gets married. Until then, I'll keep her heart safe._

I still have the key in my Brittany box. That night was arguably the best night of my life. I lost my virginity to my best friend while taking hers too. We continued sleeping together, obviously. I just wish I could go back to that first time. My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of someone climbing through the hatch. I turn around and see Brittany lifting herself through carrying a drawstring bag. As soon as she's through, she lays on the ground panting. I get a closer look and smile at her. She's dressed in her dance attire consisting of yoga pants, a loose t-shirt, and converse.

"Man I'm out of shape. I don't remember that ever being a struggle." Her shirt has ridden up from climbing in and I have a hard time taking my eyes off of her abs.

"I don't know, those abs look like you are still in very good shape." Crap, did I say that out loud?

"You're arms are quite nice too," she smirks teasingly. I reach out a hand and help her up. As soon as she's up, she brings me into a signature Brit-Brit hug. The familiar combination of berries and cotton candy fill my senses and I hug tighter.

"Ow, San. I missed you too, but you're hurting me." Brit starts poking my sides to get me to loosen my grip.

"Sorry Brit. I just- I missed you." I whisper the last part.

"Of course you did. I'm a very missable person," she teases as she sticks her tongue out at me. That tongue, oh the places it has been… stop! I must have been quiet for too long because Brit is looking worried.

"San, are you ok? I was just teasing, you know. I'm sorry."

"No no, it's not that. I was just being weird. It's weird being back here. A good kind of weird, but still weird," I say looking around the room. Brit looks around too until her eyes find the old chest.

"Oh my- is that? It's still here," she gasps and kneels down in front of it.

"So, I take it Jasmine has the key?" I ask. I know that she doesn't of course. I just want see Brit's reaction.

"I-um, I don't know. I'll have to ask. You still remember all that?" She glances up at me with curiosity.

I swallow, "of course. That night was one of the best nights of my life. Even if I could forget it, it's a part of me," I whisper and meet her gaze.

After a few short moments of silence, we grab our supplies and lay it out on the floor to start planning. Most things have been decided already. They are getting married in the same church that Burt and Carol got married in, the bridesmaids are going to be wearing baby blue dresses, and Jasmine's sister is taking care of most of the paperwork planning such as calling around and making sure everything is in place.

"Oh and we are using lilies! You know, since they are the lesbian of flowers." She gives a huge smile as I take in the information.

A church with giant stain glass window, blue dresses, lily bouquets… _"I now pronounce you wife and wife"_ The images from my nightmare come whirling back to me and I feel sick to my stomach.

"San, Santana? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm fine. I must have eaten something rotten earlier today. I swear I'm ok."

"Are you pregnant?" she asks.

"What? No! I haven't slept with guys since high school," I defend.

"Ok good. You just reminded me how Quinn looked when she was expecting Beth. And I haven't seen you in so long, so anything is possible." Brit is really a genius. Screw what anyone else says.

"San, can I ask you a serious question?" She hesitantly asks.

"Of course," I nod.

"What do you think of Jasmine? Please be honest and brutal."

I take a deep breath and remember what Jaz said this morning _"I think she wanted to tell you in another way, but I wanted you to know the truth."_ I guess it's now or never.

"Tell me about how you and she met, about the proposal. Tell me your story."

"Um well, it was a rocky start I guess. I was at a bar, and just wanted to be alone. Jaz saw I was upset and approached me, wanting to buy me a drink. We just started talking and it was nice. For the next few weeks, we would meet up at the bar and talk. We started going out after that. In the beginning of October, we were visiting her family and the topic of marriage was brought up. To that point, I hadn't given it much thought. But then that weekend, Jaz took me to her secret hideout, kinda like her castle. We talked for hours, then she got down on one knee. The rest is history." Throughout the story, Brit wouldn't make eye contact with me. I gently take her chin and force her to look at me. I search her eyes for something, anything. But her eyes hold honesty. Her story is true. I guess this is what Jasmine was talking about. Brit wanted to leave out the part where it was my new relationship that lead her to that bar where she met Jaz. She wanted to leave out the casual sex.

"Brit, why hadn't anyone known about you guys? Your parents had never met Jaz before yesterday, and Quinn never knew it was that serious. Why didn't you tell us?"

Her eyes cast downwards, but I keep my hold. She opens and closes her mouth a few times before she finally talks. "It just happened so fast. So what do you think of Jasmine?"

I sigh. She has to have a reason for not saying. She needs time. "I haven't gotten to know her well enough to say, but so far there is nothing wrong with her. She's caring, smart, and not bad looking either." I wink.

"Hey now, that's my fiancée you're talking about. And you have a girlfriend. You and Dani seem to work well together."

"Yea we do. We are still adjusting to living with each other. Oh apparently Whitney was looking for pictures of you to use for the wedding, so we made some copies. I thought you'd like to look through them. There's some pretty great memories in there." I hand her the stack of pictures and we start going through them. We laugh at our chocolate covered faces from birthday parties and tear up at the first picture with Lord Tubbington. He passed 2 years ago, and I kinda miss him.

"Are you ever going to get a Prince Tubbs?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Jaz is allergic to cats," she says simply. I nod and turn back to the pictures. Finally we reach the 9 year old wedding.

"Oh my god, I remember this. Do you remember having our first kiss here? You were so nervous." She smiles looking up at me.

"Yea. I always thought my first kiss was going to be with some guy. I guess you were my true first for a lot of things. First kiss, first slow dance, first time, first real relationship." I swallow, "first heartbreak." I whisper and look down at my hands fighting back any tears. I suddenly feel warm fingers on my cheek wiping away the wetness from my eyes.

"You were my first for all of those, too. And I don't regret any of those times in high school. I mean, I regret staying with Artie for as long as I did, but it showed that our feelings were real. I don't count Artie as my first relationship. You will always be my first everything."

I want nothing more than to kiss her. I want to kiss her and hold her in my arms forever. I compose myself and nod. I take the pictures from Brit's hands and stand up walking to one of the walls. Using the tacks, I hang the pictures for them to stay.

"Brit, I know this is a lot to say, but can you not show Jasmine our castle? I know she showed you hers, but this place is ours and I don't want to share."

"I never planned to bring Jaz here. She wouldn't understand. This place is always ours." She wraps her arms around me and I melt into her embrace. After a few moments, I pull her to the middle of the room and move to the stereo.

"I know you said you haven't danced in a while, so we have to get you back in shape. You have a dress to fit in missy," I tease.

She rolls her eyes but when I turn on the familiar tune of Valerie, her face lights up.

"I know you remember the choreography. _Well sometimes I go out by myself_ "

I sing the first verse by myself watching Brit get used to moving again. I soon join her in dance as she joins me singing. We fall into perfect rhythm. It's like we are back at Regionals. When the song ends, we collapse in giggles and work on the basket of food. We pass the wine bottle back and forth just enjoying each other's company.

Brit is the first one to speak, "I've missed this."

"Missed what?" I ask for clarification.

"This. Dancing, the castle, you. I've almost forgotten it all."

"There's no need to forget it, Brit. I know there have been hard times and memories here. But we are a big family. You told me that after we lost Nationals. Families fight, but they still love each other." She smiles at my words only to be interrupted by a yawn. I check the time.

"Wow, it's midnight already," she exclaims.

"How about we stay here tonight?" I offer. "I'll drive you back in the morning. I've missed staying in here." She looks skeptical at first, biting her lip. She then gives a small smile.

"I'd like that."

I smile and start cleaning up the living room. We head upstairs to find a fresh set of sheets sitting in the middle of the mattress. I turn to Brit, "I hope you don't mind sleeping next to me. I've missed my cuddle buddy." I say as I lay down.

She lays next to me and starts to curl into my side, "Dani doesn't cuddle?"

"Nope, and even if she did, you're the only person I want to cuddle with." I look down and see her eyes fluttering closed. I bend my head and softly kiss her forehead. I feel her smile and bury her face in my shirt.

"Goodnight Sanny" she gives one last squeeze before falling asleep.

"Goodnight Brit-Brit" I know this night is a temporary arrangement, but I'm going to miss having her in my arms. Brit starts snoring and I realize how much I've missed it. It's so cute. I close my eyes and allow sleep to overtake my body. Today was a good day.

 **School sucks. Honestly, I'll be lucky if I update once a month, so we'll see. Anyway, let me know what you guy think. Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited the story so far. I look forward to your feedback. As usual, you can PM me or message me via tumblr (Sentimental-idiot). Thank you for being so patient!**


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